The economic value of viewing migratory shorebirds on the Delaware Bay: An application of the single site travel cost model using on-site data

Edwards, Peter E.T. and Parsons, George R. and Myers, Kelley H. (2011): The economic value of viewing migratory shorebirds on the Delaware Bay: An application of the single site travel cost model using on-site data. Published in: Human Dimensions of Wildlife , Vol. 16, No. 6 (2011): pp. 435-444.

Abstract

We estimated a count data model of recreation demand using data from an on-site survey of recreational birders who had visited southern Delaware during the month–long annual horseshoe crab/shorebird spring migration in 2008. We analyzed daytrips only. Our estimates from the models ranged from $32 to $142/trip/household or about $131 to $582/season/household (2008$). The variation was due to differences in the value of time. The average household size was 1.66. We found that the valuation results were sensitive to the inclusion of covariates in the model. Our results are useful for damage assessments and benefit–cost analyses where birdwatching is affected.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: recreational birding, economic value, shorebird migration, onsite sampling, endogenous stratification
• Subjects: Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics

References

Cameron, A. C., & Trivedi, P. K. (1998). Regression analysis of count data. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Creel,M., & Loomis, J. B. (1990). Theoretical and empirical advantages of truncated count data estimators for analysis of deer hunting in California. American Journal of Agricultrual Economics, 72, 434–441.

Donovan, G., & Champ, P. (2009). The economic benefits of elk viewing at the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area in Oregon. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 14, 51–60.

Englin, J. E., Holmes, T. P., & Sills, E. O. (2003). Estimating forest recreation demand using count data models. In E. O. Sills (Eds.), Forests in a market economy (pp. 341–359). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Englin, J., & Shonkwiler, J. (1995). Estimating social welfare using count data models: An application under conditions of endogenous stratification and truncation. Review of Economics and Statistics, 77, 104–112.

Eubanks, T. L., Stoll, J. R., & Ditton, B. (2004). Understanding the diversity of eight birder sub-populations: Sociodemographic characteristics, motivations, expenditures and net benefits. Journal of Ecotourism, 3, 151–172.

Eubanks, T. L., Stoll, J. R., & Kerlinger, P. (2000). Wildlife-associated recreation on the New Jersey Delaware Bay shore. Austin, TX: Fermata, Inc. Glowinski, S. L. (2008). Bird-watching, ecotourism, and economic development: A review of the evidence. Applied Research in Economic Development, 5(3), 65–77.

Hvenegaard, G. T., Bulter, J. R., & Krystofiak, D. K. (1989). Economic values of bird watching at Point Pelee National Park, Canada. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 17, 526–531.

Hellerstein, D. M. (1991). Using count data models in travel cost analysis with aggregate data. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 73(3), 860–866.

Hellerstein, D., & Mendelsohn, R. (1993). A theoretical foundation for count data models. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 75, 604–611.

Hilbe, J. M., & Martinez-Espineira, R. (2005). NBSTRAT: Stata module to estimate Negative Binomial with Endogenous Stratification. Boston, MA: Boston College Department of Economics.

Isaacs, J. C., & Chi, Y. N. (2005). A travel cost analysis of a bird watching festival: The Grand Isle Migratory Bird Celebration. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

Lee, C. K., Lee, J. H., Mjelde, J. W., Scott, D., & Kim, T. K. (2009). Assessing the economic value of a public birdwatching interpretive service using a contingent valuation method. International Journal of Tourism Research, 11, 583–593.

MacMillan, D., Hanley, N., & Daw, M. (2004). Costs and benefits of wild goose conservation in Scotland. Biological Conservation, 119, 475–485.

Martínez-Espiñeira, R., & Amoako-Tuffour, J. (2008). Recreation demand analysis under truncation, overdispersion, and endogenous stratification: An application to Gros Morne National Park. Journal of Environmental Management, 88, 1320–1332.

McKean, J. R., Johnson, D. M., & Walsh, R. G. (1995). Valuing time in travel cost demand analysis: An empirical investigation. Land Economics, 71, 96–105.

Myers, K. H., Parsons, G. R., & Edwards, P. E. (2010). Measuring the recreational use value of migratory shorebirds on the Delaware Bay. Marine Resource Economics, 25, 247–264.

Ovaskainen, V., Mikkola, J., & Pouta, E. (2001). Estimating recreation demand with on-site data: An application of truncated and endogenously stratified count data models. Journal of Forest Economics, 7(2), 125–144.

Reaves, D. W., Kramer, R. A., & Holmes, T. P. (1999). Does question format matter? Valuing an endangered species. Environmental and Resource Economics, 14, 365–383.

Rockel, M. L., & Kealy, M. J. (1991). The value of nonconsumptive wildlife recreation in the United States. Land Economics, 67(4), 422–434.

Rosenberger, R. S., & Loomis, J. B. (2001). Benefit transfer of outdoor recreation use values: A technical document supporting the Forest Service Strategic Plan. Fort Collins, CO: Rocky Mountain Research Station.

Rubin, J., Helfand, G., & Loomis, J. B. (1991). Benefit cost analysis of the Northern Spotted Owl: Results from a contingent valuation survey. Journal of Forestry, 89(12), 25–30.

Shaw, D. (1988). On-site sample regression: Problems of non-negative integers, truncation, and endogenous stratification. Journal of Econometrics, 37, 211–223.

Stoll, J. R., Ditton, R., & Eubanks, T. (2006). Platte River birding and the spring migration: Humans, value and ecological resources. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 11, 241–254.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2001). Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis. Addendum to the 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.