Mapping the Recreational Value of Coppices’ Management Systems in Tuscany

Abstract

In recent decades the growing interest in forested areas has led to a higher level of appreciation and consideration regarding the various benefits and services provided by forests. Despite this, when it comes to acknowledging their economic value and their capacity to produce income, the production of timber seems to be the main or even the only function that is considered. However, by adopting a sustainable forest management approach, the value related to non-market forest functions could also be considered. The present paper aims to quantify the potential income related to the recreational value of coppice forest by considering three different management systems: traditional coppice, active conversion to high forest and the natural evolution of forest. In order to do so, a contingent valuation method was used, and 248 forest users were surveyed in the region of Tuscany, Italy. The surveys included a revised price-list method, and the results obtained showed the existence of willingness to pay (WTP) for the maintenance of forests. Users showed a strong preference for conversion to high forest, while natural evolution was the least preferred management option. People’s perception on this matter was also assessed based on their specific location, by georeferencing all of the respondents’ answers: considering this, it was observed that belonging to a municipality located in or close to the mountains (i.e., mountain and natural municipalities) influenced the users’ WTP to maintain natural evolution.

A Model for the Economic Evaluation of Cultural Ecosystem Services: The Recreational Hunting Function in the Agroforestry Territories of Tuscany (Italy)

“…This study analyses the value of the recreational hunting function in the Province of Siena using TCM. This is a function belonging to the CESs that, although representing a high economic and social value for the territory, is little-studied in comparison to other types of CESs (e.g., nature tourism) [16][17][18]56,57]. Therefore, the study represents a useful upgrade in the literature of the sector, both for the Italian national context where the recreational activity of hunting is strongly practiced, and also for the European context where the growing importance of the ESs provided by farms is recognised through the progressive importance of the European economic policy of Rural Development [76].…”

“…For instance, less than 10% of the sample analysed in this study stated that they go hunting in regions other than the one of residence on an average of 9 hunting days per year. Reviewing the relevant literature, it was decided to focus research on the recreational hunting function, because, although it represents a high economic and social value for the territory, it has limited interest in the European scientific literature compared to the other types of CESs examined in numerous studies [16][17][18]56,57]. It is likely that this limited interest is influenced by the conflict raised by assessing as a positive externality an activity related to the killing of wildlife.…”

“…For this reason, some authors believe that for the research community it is still difficult to translate the value of CESs into economic terms [13][14][15]. On the other hand, numerous studies have shown that the economic value generated by the category of recreational services is extremely relevant [16][17][18][19] and can sometimes exceed the value of agricultural and forestry production [2,7]. In particular in Italy, it is recognised that CESs are widespread in forests and cultivated land [20].…”

Forests Attenuate Temperature and Air Pollution Discomfort in Montane Tourist Areas

“…Cultural ecosystem services refer to non-material benefits and comprise, among others, the aesthetic value, the recreation, and ecotourism relevant to the human wellbeing and health [2]. The positive effect of forests on physical, mental, and social health is well-known (see e.g., https://efi.int/forestquestions/ society (accessed on 8 March 2023)), and the willingness of forest users to pay for enjoying such benefits [3,4] underlines the great value of this ecosystem. Regarding the regulating services, besides air quality control and protection from flooding and erosion [5][6][7], forests influence the micro-and macro-climate at the global (carbon sequestration) and local (climate regulation on temperatures and precipitation) scale [8][9][10].…”

Modelling the Economic, Social and Environmental Components of Natural Resources for Sustainable Management

“…Remaining in the field of ESs, the research of Riccioli et al [5] is focused on the mapping and estimation of recreational values in a coppice forest. Three different management systems were considered, characterized by a different degree of evolution and naturalness.…”