RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Quality over Quantity: Nonmarket Values of Restoring Coastal Dunes in the U.S. Pacific Northwest
JF Land Economics
JO Land Econ
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 63
OP 79
DO 10.3368/le.040721-0036R
VO 99
IS 1
A1 Nguyen, Tu
A1 Kling, David M.
A1 Dundas, Steven J.
A1 Hacker, Sally D.
A1 Lew, Daniel K.
A1 Ruggiero, Peter
A1 Roy, Katherine
YR 2023
UL http://le.uwpress.org/content/99/1/63.abstract
AB We design a choice experiment to examine public preferences for coastal dune ecosystem restoration in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Dunes are a public good whose natural state is now rare. Respondents are asked to choose among hypothetical projects that vary by project size, restoration quality, recreation access, flooding risk, and cost. Restoration quality is defined as closeness to the natural ecosystem. We find that increasing restoration quality results in significantly higher welfare gains than increasing the size of restoration area. Maintaining recreation access is preferred, and programs with recreation restrictions yield positive willingness to pay only if accompanied by the highest restoration quality.