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Comparing the Travel Cost Method and the Contingent Valuation Method ? An application of Convergent Validity Theory to the Recreational Value of Irish Forests

Author

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  • Karen Mayor

    (Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI))

  • Susan Scott

    (Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI))

  • Richard S.J. Tol

    (Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI))

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to check the monetary value of the recreational use of Irish forests using two different valuation methods on the one dataset ? the Travel Cost Method and the Contingent Valuation Technique ? and in doing so test convergent validity, i.e. whether they are consistent with each other. It is found that convergence cannot be established with this data. The Willingness-to-Pay for entrance responses are stationary and tend to cluster around IR£1 per adult equivalent per trip. The TCM results of consumer surplus, which should be the same as WTP, are more variable depending on which sample is analysed and range between IR£2.38 and IR£5.95 per adult equivalent per trip. No correlation between these two variables was found. It seems that there are problems in getting people to state their true WTP. This is possibly due to a misinterpretation of the question by respondents as well as a tendency to revert to a common number. It is also likely that respondents used their WTP answers to make a political statement against the expansion of forestland using agricultural land. Finally, forests in Ireland are regarded as public goods and consequently there exists a stance among users that access to them should be free of charge, which might explain the large number of protest bids.

Suggested Citation

  • Karen Mayor & Susan Scott & Richard S.J. Tol, 2007. "Comparing the Travel Cost Method and the Contingent Valuation Method ? An application of Convergent Validity Theory to the Recreational Value of Irish Forests," Papers WP190, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:esr:wpaper:wp190
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    File URL: https://www.esri.ie/pubs/WP190.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ian Langford* & Areti Kontogianni & Mihalis Skourtos & Stavros Georgiou & Ian Bateman, 1998. "Multivariate Mixed Models for Open-Ended Contingent Valuation Data: Willingness To Pay For Conservation of Monk Seals," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 12(4), pages 443-456, December.
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    5. Yongsik Jeon & Joseph Herriges, 2010. "Convergent Validity of Contingent Behavior Responses in Models of Recreation Demand," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 45(2), pages 223-250, February.
    6. Stephen Hynes & Cathal Buckley & Tom van Rensburg, 2006. "Agricultural versus Recreational Activity on Marginal Farm Land: A Discrete-Choice Model of Recreational Activity on Irish Farm Commonage," Working Papers 0603, Rural Economy and Development Programme,Teagasc.
    7. Timothy M. Swanson & Sam Johnston, 1999. "Global Environmental Problems and International Environmental Agreements," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1444.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Whelan, Adele & McGuinness, Seamus & Barrett, Alan, 2021. "Review of International Approaches to Evaluating Rural and Community Development Investment and Supports," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS124, June.
    3. Marija Opačak & Erda Wang, 2019. "Estimating Willingness to Pay for a Future Recreational Park Atop the Current Jakuševec Landfill in Zagreb, Croatia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-16, October.
    4. Choi, Hyunhong & Koo, Yoonmo, 2018. "Using Contingent Valuation and Numerical Methods to Determine Optimal Locations for Environmental Facilities: Public Arboretums in South Korea," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 184-201.
    5. Häggmark-Svensson, Tobias & Elofsson, Katarina & Engelmann, Marc & Gren, Ing-Marie, 2015. "A review of the literature on benefits, costs, and policies for wildlife management," Working Paper Series 2015:1, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department Economics.
    6. Serge Garcia & Julien Jacob, 2010. "La valeur récréative de la forêt en France : une approche par les coûts de déplacement," Review of Agricultural and Environmental Studies - Revue d'Etudes en Agriculture et Environnement, INRA Department of Economics, vol. 91(1), pages 43-71.
    7. Armbrecht, John, 2014. "Use value of cultural experiences: A comparison of contingent valuation and travel cost," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 141-148.
    8. David Březina & Jakub Michal & Zdeněk Adamec & Jana Burdová, 2019. "Quantification of the economic value of the recreational function of forests in the territory of Městské lesy Hradec Králové a.s," Journal of Forest Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 65(5), pages 161-170.
    9. P. Hlaváčková & D. Březina, 2016. "Economic evaluation of the recreational use of forests: A case study of the Training Forest Enterprise Masaryk Forest Křtiny," Journal of Forest Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 62(9), pages 389-398.
    10. Polizzi, Cecilia & Simonetto, Matteo & Barausse, Alberto & Chaniotou, Ninetta & Känkänen, Riina & Keränen, Silja & Manzardo, Alessandro & Mustajärvi, Kaisa & Palmeri, Luca & Scipioni, Antonio, 2015. "Is ecosystem restoration worth the effort? The rehabilitation of a Finnish river affects recreational ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 14(C), pages 158-169.

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    Keywords

    Contingent Valuation; Travel Cost Model; Forest Recreation.;
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