Valuing ecosystem services of Sundarbans mangrove forest for improved conservation: approach of randomized conjoint experiment
Purpose – This study provides empirical evidence of the economic valuation of ecosystem services. It examines the willingness-to-pay (WTP) and compensating surplus (CS) in response to policy change based on focus group discussion (FGD) and survey. Design/methodology/approach – A randomized conjoint...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Emerald Publishing
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Forestry Economics Review |
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| Online Access: | https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/FER-04-2020-0008/full/pdf |
| _version_ | 1827912400437772288 |
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| author | Md. Hafiz Iqbal |
| author_facet | Md. Hafiz Iqbal |
| author_sort | Md. Hafiz Iqbal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose – This study provides empirical evidence of the economic valuation of ecosystem services. It examines the willingness-to-pay (WTP) and compensating surplus (CS) in response to policy change based on focus group discussion (FGD) and survey. Design/methodology/approach – A randomized conjoint analysis based experiment was conducted in seven villages of Sundarbans in Bangladesh to elicit stated preference data and measure WTP and CS. Each respondent faced three options in every choice card-two hypothetical alternatives and one status quo scheme. Four alternatives – payment for ecosystem services, storm protection, erosion control and habitat for fish breeding – are randomly and simultaneously assigned to the two alternatives. Findings – The findings suggest that age, income, education, family size and occupational status are the influential factor to choice the relevant attributes of ecosystem services and their levels. Villagers would like to pay annually Tk. 703, Tk. 281, and Tk. 59 for lower, moderate, and higher ecosystem services. With these WTP, they get surplus Tk. 760, Tk. 138, and Tk. 346 respectively. Research limitations/implications – The lower WTP does not necessarily imply low demand for ecosystem service, as the findings from WTP illustrate potential demand for ecosystem services of Sundarbans. Practical implications – The study provides an important insight into the ecosystem services and values of Sundarbans mangrove forests for welfare and can inform policy for sustainable use of resources of this forest. Originality/value – There is a crucial gap in understanding what could villagers be ready for WTP for better ecosystem services of Sundarbans mangrove forest, how do payment based ecosystem services, as a proxy for the conservation of Sundarbans mangrove, and to what extent the policy can be strengthened. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:16:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b299423e53374dc3a15e0dda5f956ccd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2631-3030 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:16:19Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | Emerald Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forestry Economics Review |
| spelling | doaj.art-b299423e53374dc3a15e0dda5f956ccd2023-06-30T14:26:50ZengEmerald PublishingForestry Economics Review2631-30302020-04-012111713210.1108/FER-04-2020-0008Valuing ecosystem services of Sundarbans mangrove forest for improved conservation: approach of randomized conjoint experimentMd. Hafiz Iqbal0Department of Economics, Government Edward College, Pabna, BangladeshPurpose – This study provides empirical evidence of the economic valuation of ecosystem services. It examines the willingness-to-pay (WTP) and compensating surplus (CS) in response to policy change based on focus group discussion (FGD) and survey. Design/methodology/approach – A randomized conjoint analysis based experiment was conducted in seven villages of Sundarbans in Bangladesh to elicit stated preference data and measure WTP and CS. Each respondent faced three options in every choice card-two hypothetical alternatives and one status quo scheme. Four alternatives – payment for ecosystem services, storm protection, erosion control and habitat for fish breeding – are randomly and simultaneously assigned to the two alternatives. Findings – The findings suggest that age, income, education, family size and occupational status are the influential factor to choice the relevant attributes of ecosystem services and their levels. Villagers would like to pay annually Tk. 703, Tk. 281, and Tk. 59 for lower, moderate, and higher ecosystem services. With these WTP, they get surplus Tk. 760, Tk. 138, and Tk. 346 respectively. Research limitations/implications – The lower WTP does not necessarily imply low demand for ecosystem service, as the findings from WTP illustrate potential demand for ecosystem services of Sundarbans. Practical implications – The study provides an important insight into the ecosystem services and values of Sundarbans mangrove forests for welfare and can inform policy for sustainable use of resources of this forest. Originality/value – There is a crucial gap in understanding what could villagers be ready for WTP for better ecosystem services of Sundarbans mangrove forest, how do payment based ecosystem services, as a proxy for the conservation of Sundarbans mangrove, and to what extent the policy can be strengthened.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/FER-04-2020-0008/full/pdfConjoint analysisBehavioral economicsEconomic of forestWillingness-to-payCompensating surplus |
| spellingShingle | Md. Hafiz Iqbal Valuing ecosystem services of Sundarbans mangrove forest for improved conservation: approach of randomized conjoint experiment Forestry Economics Review Conjoint analysis Behavioral economics Economic of forest Willingness-to-pay Compensating surplus |
| title | Valuing ecosystem services of Sundarbans mangrove forest for improved conservation: approach of randomized conjoint experiment |
| title_full | Valuing ecosystem services of Sundarbans mangrove forest for improved conservation: approach of randomized conjoint experiment |
| title_fullStr | Valuing ecosystem services of Sundarbans mangrove forest for improved conservation: approach of randomized conjoint experiment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Valuing ecosystem services of Sundarbans mangrove forest for improved conservation: approach of randomized conjoint experiment |
| title_short | Valuing ecosystem services of Sundarbans mangrove forest for improved conservation: approach of randomized conjoint experiment |
| title_sort | valuing ecosystem services of sundarbans mangrove forest for improved conservation approach of randomized conjoint experiment |
| topic | Conjoint analysis Behavioral economics Economic of forest Willingness-to-pay Compensating surplus |
| url | https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/FER-04-2020-0008/full/pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mdhafiziqbal valuingecosystemservicesofsundarbansmangroveforestforimprovedconservationapproachofrandomizedconjointexperiment |