This paper looks at the optimal location of new forests in a suburban region under area constraints. The methodology takes into account use benefits, non-use benefits (both bequest and existence values), opportunity costs of converting agricultural land, as well as planting and management costs of the new forest. The recreational benefits of new forest sites are estimated using function transfer techniques. We show that the net social benefit of the total afforestation project varies up to a factor 6. The recreational value of a site varies considerably with the available substitutes.
This article studies the possibility of using auctions as a policy instrument in conservation programs. In particular, it provides insight into the main concerns that need to be dealt with when implementing conservation auctions. To show the cost saving potential of this policy instrument, we also calculate the social welfare improvement that can be obtained for an afforestation project in Flanders. When developing conservation policies, it is thus worthwhile to consider auctions as an alternative policy instrument.
Thi s paper looks at the opti mal loc ati on of new f orests i n a suburban regi on under area c onstrai nts. The GI S-based methodology takes i nto ac c ount use benef i ts suc h as ti mber, hunti ng, c arbon sequestrati on and rec reati on, non-use benef i ts (both bequest and exi stenc e values) , opportuni ty c osts of c onverti ng agri c ultural land, as well as planti ng and management c osts of the new f orest. The rec reati on benef i ts of new f orest si tes are esti mated usi ng f unc ti on transf er tec hni ques. W e show that the net soc i al benef i t of the total af f orestati on proj ec t may vary up to a f ac tor 6, dependi ng on the f orest si tes that are selec ted. W e show that the rec reati on value of a f orest si te vari es c onsi derably wi th the avai lable substi tutes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.