Resident Motivations and Willingness-to-Pay for Urban Biodiversity Conservation in Guangzhou (China) |
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Authors: | Wendy Y Chen C Y Jim |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China; |
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Abstract: | The monetary assessment of biodiversity measures the welfare damages brought by biodiversity losses and the cost-benefit analysis
of conservation projects in a socio-economic context. The contingent valuation method could include motivational factors to
strengthen economic analysis of nature conservation. This study analyzed Guangzhou residents’ motivations and willingness-to-pay
(WTP) for an urban biodiversity conservation program in the National Baiyun Mountain Scenic Area (BMSA). The peri-urban natural
site, offering refuge to some endemic species, is under increasing development pressures for recreational and residential
use. A questionnaire survey was conducted in the Guangzhou metropolitan area during June to October 2007. We interviewed face-to-face
720 stratified sampled households to probe residents’ attitudes towards the city’s environmental issues, motivations for urban
nature conservation, and WTP for biodiversity conservation. Principal component analysis identified five motivational factors,
including environmental benefit, ecological diversity, nature-culture interaction, landscape-recreation function, and intergenerational
sustainability, which illustrated the general economic values of urban nature. Logistic regression was applied to predict
the probability of people being willing to pay for the urban biodiversity conservation in BMSA. The significant predictors
of WTP included household income and the factor nature-culture interaction. The median WTP estimated RMB149/household (about
US$19.5/household) per year and an aggregate of RMB291 million (approximately US$19.5/household) per year and an aggregate of RMB291 million (approximately US38.2 million) annually to support the urban
conservation project. Including public motivations into contingent valuation presents a promising approach to conduct cost-benefit
analysis of public projects in China. |
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Keywords: | |
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