The aesthetic and ecological benefits of preserving wilderness and establishing parks have been acknowledged for over a century, yet rarely quantified. In contrast, the opportunity costs of foregoing devel- opment options are frequently known and large. Developing nations, striving to in- crease the well-being of their citizens, find it difficult to forego concrete development options in favor of preservation with its more elusively measured benefits. To ad- dress this imbalance, it is critical to begin economic valuation of the benefits of preserving natural habitats in developing nations. High on this list is determining the economic value of conserving primary rain forests