Estimating Willingness to Pay for a Future Recreational Park Atop the Current Jakuševec Landfill in Zagreb, Croatia

Heavy metal(loid) effect on multi-biomarker responses in apex predator: Novel assays in the monitoring of white stork nestlings

The goal of the present study was to investigate differences in biomarker responses related to metal(loid)s in white stork (Ciconia ciconia) nestling's blood from continental Croatia. To achieve this, a battery of biomarkers that can be affected by environmental pollutants, including metal(loid)s, was assessed (esterase activity, fluorescence-based oxidative stress biomarkers, metallothionein levels, glutathione-dependent enzyme activity). The research was conducted during the white stork breeding season in diverse areas (a landfill, industrial and agricultural sites, and an unpolluted area). White storks' nestlings near the landfill exhibited reduced carboxylesterase (CES) activity, elevated glutathione (GSH) concentration, as well as high Pb content in the blood. Increased As and Hg concentrations in blood were attributable to environmental contamination in agricultural area and an assumed unpolluted area, respectively. Furthermore, agricultural practices appeared to affect CES activity, as well as elevate Se levels. In addition to the successful implementation of biomarkers, present research showed that agricultural areas and a landfill are areas with increased metal(loid) levels possibly causing adverse effects on the white storks. This first-time heavy metal and metalloid analyses in the white stork nestlings from Croatia point to the necessary monitoring and future assessments of pollution impact to prevent irreversible adverse effects.

Public Willingness to Pay for Green Lifestyle in China: A Contingent Valuation Method Based on Integrated Model

The purpose of this study was to note how people recognize the green lifestyle and how much extra money they are willing to pay for it. An integrated model based on the theory of planned behavior was constructed, and data on the willingness to pay (WTP) for green lifestyles of 1377 respondents in five cities in East China were measured and calculated using the double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method (DBDC) combined with interval regression analysis. The results showed that the respondents were willing to pay an extra 81.8 yuan, 52.5 yuan, 38.9 yuan, 53.2 yuan, and 37.2 yuan per month for green food, clothing, travel, housing, and waste recycling, respectively. Attitude and moral norms were the strongest predictors of WTP for green clothing, travel, housing, and waste recycling. Perceived behavior control, environmental awareness, personal habits, subjective knowledge, gender, income, and education can affect a few kinds of green lifestyle's WTP.

Visitor's Willingness to Pay for National Park Entrance Fees in China: Evidence from a Contingent Valuation Method

China has been making efforts in nature conservation by developing a new national park system. Setting a fee-based entrance policy for the newly established national parks can be challenging without information on visitors' willingness to pay (WTP). Thus, this study aims to evaluate visitors' WTP entrance fees with a dataset of 1215 visitors collected in China's planned Qinling National Park (QNP). Using the double bounded dichotomous choice format of the contingent valuation method, we obtained the mean WTP for the entrance fee of QNP of 200 yuan. Visitors' demand becomes relatively inelastic at the recommended entrance fee of 160 yuan when the expected ticket revenue will reach its maximum of 13.8 billion yuan. Our study also indicates that visitors' WTP is significantly influenced by their gender difference, education level, income, number of trips to natural attractions, duration of stay, the intention of a future visit, and concern about commercial exploitation. Our empirical study provides insights into developing effective pricing policies and appropriate marketing strategies for China's new national park system.

Determining the Increase in a Building’s Appreciation Rate Due to a Reconstruction

The reconstruction of buildings generally prolongs their useful life, increases their utility value, and last but not least, leads to an increase in their value. These assumptions only apply if an independent third party reaches the same conclusion together with the owner. However, the undesirable effect of the reconstruction of a building may be a decrease in its value. The aim of this contribution is to determine the change in value of an older sample building assessed in the included case study as a result of its reconstruction. Valuation methods are applied, which, as it turns out, reveal the inaccuracy of the subjective view of the person who reconstructed the building. The resulting change in the value of the sample building is discussed from the point of view of the applied valuation methods and other value-creating aspects (subjective view of the owner on the value of the building, historical value of the building, etc.). The contribution concludes with recommendations for maximizing the increase in value of a property through its reconstruction so as to eliminate the risk of a decrease in its value.

Estimating visitors' willingness to pay for a conservation fund: sustainable financing approach in protected areas in Ethiopia

An increasing number of protected areas (PAs) are being established in many countries to conserve and preserve the wildlife species and to maintain earth's ecological balance, but in emerging economies such as Ethiopia, PAs are currently confronted with inadequate conservation funding that makes it tough to protect the remaining biodiversity. PAs, therefore try to use other financial means such as ecotourism to subsidize their financial shortage and nourishes the nexus between conservation and development. Estimation of visitors' willingness to pay (WTP) would be useful to craft strategies to strengthen the self-financing capability of PAs and hence realizing environmental and livelihood goals. In this study, the visitors' WTP for the proposed conservation fund in the context of Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) was estimated using a contingent valuation method. The finding indicated that 75% of visitors were willing to pay a conservation fee. The mean WTP was estimated to be US$7.40 for foreign visitors and US$1.00 for domestic visitors. The finding suggests that the implementation of conservation fee in addition to the existing entry fee helps to improve the long-term sustainable financing of PAs.

Assessing the Preservation of Parks and Natural Protected Areas: A Review of Contingent Valuation Studies

The existence of parks is particularly important and offers many benefits both to the environment and to humans. Parks are recreational spaces, which contribute to the improvement of the microclimate, reduce atmospheric pollution and protect biodiversity. Their importance for the urban environment is even greater because they offer pure oxygen to the city and people feel close to nature in them. The aim of this study is to review studies which took place globally as well as in Greece, relying on the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) for parks. The reason that this method is used is the valuation of non-market goods and services through the development of a hypothetical market. Additionally, a distinction is made among previous empirical studies depending on the nature of the parks and the country where the survey was conducted, while the disadvantages that must be considered from the use of Contingent Valuation Method are mentioned. According to the findings of the literature review, studies using Contingent Valuation in Greece, particularly in the case of urban parks, are limited. As far as we know, the valuation of existing urban parks has not yet been studied, so this could be a field for further research. The economic valuation of parks in a country like Greece, which suffered with the financial crisis, can lead to conclusions about the value that citizens attribute to parks and the identification of possible protest responses.