Mapping the monetary value of forest-based recreation: a case study in the Italian Carnic Prealps
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15287/afr.2025.3515Abstract
In the last decades, ecosystem services are increasingly of interest to the scientific community and policy makers, due to their ability to improving both human physical and mental well-being. In literature, it has been widely recognized that methods for assigning a monetary value to ecosystem services are the most difficult challenge to face. The difficulties are greater for those ecosystem services which are not traded on a real market. Another demanding issue is that related to mapping ecosystem services through spatial analysis. Therefore, this study aims to assess and map the monetary values of outdoor recreational for a forest area in the north-east of Italy. For that purpose, a zonal Travel Cost Method and a raster analysis were implemented. During the summer 2023, 119 onsite questionnaires were collected through face-to-face administration. The results reveal an annual consumer surplus of € 13,961,789 that corresponds to € 15.36 per visit per person. According to the spatial analysis, accommodation facilities, points of interest, and the network of paths and roads appear to be the elements that most affect the distribution of the value of outdoor recreation.References
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