An ecological economics approach to estimate the value of a fragmented wetland in Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul state)

Abstract

The Upper Paraná River floodplain is the last lotic stretch of an ecosystem seriously threatened given that circa 50% of the original ecosystem has been converted into reservoirs. To assess the recreational value of the Upper Paraná River floodplain, 174 tourists were interviewed using the Willingness to Pay -WTP and Travel Cost -TC methods. The annual aggregated WTP attributed by tourists was US$ 122.50 million and the variables which determine the decision in willingness to pay for the Floodplain are: 'consider oneself as a Floodplain natural resources consumer' and 'marital state'. If the single person considers her/himself as a consumer of floodplain natural resources, the WTP increases by a multiplicative factor of 38.8. The value aggregated by the TC method was US$ 234 millions and decreased by zone as the distance increases. Higher income and traveling farther increases the travel cost, which is inversely related to annual trip frequency. The total recreational value (356.5 millions per year) is high and representative since it refers to an environment fragmented by dams and with many anthropogenic effects. Therefore, the progressive changes on the landscape are a threat to local tourism, since half of the visitors are attracted solely by the scenic beauty, thereby overtaking those factors considered more important by public decision makers and managers, such as recreational fishery or boating. A disposição a pagar anual agregada pelos turistas foi US$ 122,50 milhões, 'considerar-se um usuário dos recursos da planície' e 'estado civil' são as variáveis que determinam a decisão em pagar pela planície. Se o turista solteiro se considera um consumidor dos recursos da planície, a DAP aumenta por um fator multiplicativo de 38,8. O valor agregado pelo CV foi US$ 234 milhões e diminui por zona com o aumento da distância. Maior renda e viagens mais longas também aumentam o custo de viagem que, no entanto, é inversamente relacionado à freqüência anual de viagens. O valor recreativo total (356.5 milhões por ano) é alto e representativo por se tratar de um ambiente fragmentado por barragens e com muitos efeitos antropogênicos. Assim, as progressivas alterações na paisagem são uma ameaça ao turismo local, pois a metade dos visitantes entrevistados declarou ser atraída somente pela beleza cê-nica, sobrepujando outros bens e serviços naturais considerados importantes por gestores e administradores públicos, como a pesca recreativa e o passeio de barco.Palavras-chave: valor recreativo, disposição a pagar, método do custo de viagem, planície de inundação do alto rio Paraná.

Economic valuation of the Emas waterfall, Mogi-Guaçu River, SP, Brazil

“…Though, in this case, the author did not use the same methodology of the present work for calculating the annual aggregated value, so this comparison must be made with caution. The annual aggregated values here were significantly smaller than those found by Carvalho (2007), even when we consider the upper confidence limit of the AAV to recover (Table V). It makes sense given the much larger scale and ecological relevance of the Paraná River floodplain, of which the Mogi-Guaçu River is just a tributary.…”

“…The mean WTP to maintain and to recover for these two user categories, except the WTP to maintain of excursionists, were larger than the mean WTP of tourists visiting the Paraná River floodplain (US$ 2.75). This is the value they would pay in order to restore and preserve the environment so that the touristic attractions would still exist (Carvalho 2007).…”

A characterization of ecosystem services, drivers and values of two watersheds in São Paulo State, Brazil

“…Native vegetation values were calculated according to "forest" values of Costanza et al (2014) and wetlands values were based on Seidl and Moraes (2000), Carvalho (2007) and Costanza et al (2014) (Table 3). All base values from different years were equalized by multiplication for Consumer Price Index (CPI) conversion factor equal to 1,38 (referring to the year of 2007), as used by Costanza et al (2014).…”

“…The first column shows values based on Carvalho (2007), who considers two methodologies that reflect individual choices (Willingness to Pay) and income (Travel Costs). The second column with values based on Seidl and Moraes (2000), refers to a local re-estimative of Costanza et al (1997) values in a Brazilian wetland area.…”

Phytoplankton diversity in the Upper Paraná River floodplain during two years of drought (2000 and 2001)

“…Even though the Upper Paraná River floodplain has suffered due to human occupation and the effects of flow regulation imposed by upstream dams (Carvalho, 2007;Agostinho et al, 2008), it still plays a key role in maintaining regional biotic diversity as the only remnant várzea from the Paraná River in the Brazilian territory (Agostinho et al, 2007).…”