| Abstract: |
The results of outdoor recreation consumer surplus studies for national parks,
national forests, state parks and state forests in the United States from 1968
through 2003 are compared and analyzed across activity type, locational
region, and park designation. The resulting data set includes 1,229
observations, spanning 36 years, 28 types of activities, and 106 locations.
All consumer surplus data were converted to 2006 United States dollars per
person per day for comparison purposes. It was discovered that activity and
park type played a significant role in consumer surplus values. Activities
such as mountain biking, windsurfing, and rock-climbing were among the highest
valued activities while visiting environmental education centers was the
lowest. When comparing park types, it was found that on average, activities at
National Parks had higher values than national forests, state parks, or state
forests. This meta-analysis is the most extensive literature review in the
history of non-market consumer surplus values for outdoor recreation in the
United States ever conducted and should prove beneficial to anyone seeking
information on outdoor recreation studies as well as those wishing to conduct
a benefit transfer analysis for their own land management area. |