Assessing the benefits and costs of dryland forest restoration in central Chile.
J Environ Manage
; 97: 38-45, 2012 Apr 30.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22325581
ABSTRACT
Investment in natural capital restoration is increasing as a response to the widespread ecological degradation of dryland forests. However, finding efficient mechanisms to promote restoration among private landowners is a significant challenge for policy makers with limited financial resources. Furthermore, few attempts have been made to evaluate the costs and benefits of restoration interventions even though this information is relevant to orient decision making. Hence, our goal was to estimate the benefits and costs of dryland forest restoration by means of reforestation with native trees in a study area in central Chile. To determine benefits we applied a Contingent Valuation questionnaire that allowed for the calculation of willingness to pay measures. Restoration costs were calculated based on market prices following existing technical recommendations developed for the study area. The results showed that the restoration project had a negative NPV irrespective of the discount rate applied in the analysis. Thus, the NPV varied between -US$71,000 and -US$258,000. The NPV attained positive results only for negative discount rates (US$15,039 for -2%) and only when the national subsidy available for forest restoration was taken into account. This shows that landowners in Colliguay do not have incentives for carrying out restoration interventions due to a classic market failure that in which ecosystems are mismanaged because many of their benefits are externalities from the perspective of landowners. Overall, these results stress the need for developing new compensation mechanisms and enhancing those in existence, with the aim of making restoration competitive with other land uses.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Contexto en salud:
1_ASSA2030
Problema de salud:
1_financiamento_saude
Asunto principal:
Árboles
/
Agricultura Forestal
/
Conservación de los Recursos Naturales
Tipo de estudio:
Health_economic_evaluation
/
Prognostic_studies
Aspecto:
Patient_preference
País/Región como asunto:
America do sul
/
Chile
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Environ Manage
Año:
2012
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Chile