Valuing wetland attributes: an application of choice experiments

The interest for wetlands is increasing, not only because of the possibility of a cost-efficient uptake of nutrients, but also because wetlands can be designed to provide other services. What values that are supplied depend largely on the design. There are numerous different design options, and different actors may promote different alternatives. Whether we want to design a wetland for nutrient retention alone, or one that also serves other interests, policy makers need information about the value of different options. Conducting a choice experiment, we are able to identify attributes that increase and decrease citizens perceived value of wetlands. Using a random parameter model we find that biodiversity and walking facilities are the two greatest contributors to welfare, while a fenced waterline and introduction of crayfish decrease welfare. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.