Recreation values of boreal forest
stand types and landscapes resulting
from different silvicultural systems:
An economic analysis
In this study, data from a contingent valuation survey was used to estimate the recreation value, in economic
terms, of various stand types within boreal forest landscapes, given by four different silvicultural systems. In a
model, using recreation value functions and a maximum likelihood procedure, recreation value contributions
in monetary terms were estimated for each stand type, or phase of the rotation period. Further, the shares
of the different stand types were modified in the estimated value functions to analyse the potentials for
increasing the recreation value of the forest landscapes. The shelterwood system yielded the forest landscape
with the highest recreation value and the clearcutting system the lowest, both for equal and modified stand
type shares. The results indicate that the choice of silvicultural strategy is very important in order to produce
timber and forest recreation environments in an economically efficient way
Introduction
In recent decades, the awareness of the forest
as an environmental resource, not only
a timber resource, has increased. Accordingly,
a considerable amount of research has
been carried out on environmental aspects of
forests. For example, Daniel and Schroeder
(1979) developed a scenic beauty estimation
model on forest landscapes. Savolainen and
Kellomaki (1981) as well as Pukkala ¨ et al.
(1988) also contribute to the knowledge on
how to estimate and predict scenic beauty
and amenities of the forest. Public opinions
regarding the appearance of forests
managed in different ways have been studied
by e.g. Hultman (1983) and Lindhagen
(1996). Concerning the problem of maintaining
the biological diversity in forests, important
research is reported by e.g. Franklin
(1993) and Haila (1994)
In Sweden, the new Forestry Act of 1994
states that timber production and environmental
qualities should be given equal importance
(National Board of Forestry, 1994). One
problem is, however, that it is difficult to
quantitatively compare the two. While the
importance of timber can be measured via
market prices and volumes, corresponding
economic measurement of the forest environment
is more problematic because, among
other things, environmental goods and services
are seldom priced in a market.