Public preferences and values for management of aquatic invasive plants in state parks

Abstract

Alien invasive plants (AIP) significantly impact the ecology of natural areas and nature-based recreation, yet control programs are chronically underfunded. This study examined Florida residents' willingness-to-pay (WTP) to control aquatic AIP in river and lake state parks through entrance fees. We used a method commonly applied in the nonmarket valuation literature, but not previously applied to AIP, and found that residents have a high WTP to control AIP and are willing to support control programs through entrance fees. In 2007, we surveyed 1299 Florida residents to estimate the impact of AIP on state park recreation. The survey included conjoint choice questions to establish the impact of several park attributes on respondents' economic utility or welfare: abundance of AIP, entrance fees, park facilities, abundance of native plant species, and abundance of native animal species. Using entrance fees as a payment vehicle, we estimated that the typical Florida resident has a per-visit WTP of $6.15 to reduce AIP coverage, $4.41 to improve park facilities, $3.81 to increase the abundance of native plants, and $4.99 to increase the abundance for native animals. We used annual attendance data from 63 river and lake state parks to calculate statewide WTP to control AIP and found that local residents are willing to spend $12.26 million/yr, and all users are willing to spend $35.01 million/yr to keep AIP from becoming “numerous and dense” in the 63 parks. This far outweighs the $26 million/yr that the state is currently spending in all natural areas, including state parks.