Abstract
The benefits of local recreation in the State-owned forests in Austria (i.e., about 15% of all Austrian forests) are ascertained in this paper. A representative survey of households dealt with their local recreation, perceptions of and disturbances in forests. Total annual benefits of local recreation activities in State-owned forests, such as walking, hiking, cycling and wildlife observation, amount to about EUR 500 per person. Based on the respondents’ valuation of the degree of naturalness and quietude, as well as the options of forest management, the current management increases recreation benefits by EUR 13 per person through increased naturalness, and EUR 1.30 per person and year through increased quietude. Emphasis was placed on the benefits of the current management regime of multifunctional forestry compared to the benefits of a baseline scenario that was drafted specifically for this study, assuming higher levels of lumbering up to the limits allowed by existing nature conservation and forestry laws. The results suggest that forest management has a higher impact on recreational benefits through the naturalness of forests than through reducing artificial noise. A more sustainable forest management could further increase the benefits people derive from both naturalness and lower levels of artificial noise.
Highlights
Forests close to residential areas offer natural environments, clean air and quietude
This paper examines which local recreation activities take place in areas of the Austrian Federal Forests (ÖBf), assesses the value of the benefits of local recreation, and ascertains how important the natural conditions and quietude are for recreationists
This paper deals with an evaluation of recreation benefits as a major cultural ecosystem service provided by forests on about 10% of Austrian land owned by the Austrian Federal Forests (ÖBf, Österreichische Bundesforste)
Summary
Forests close to residential areas offer natural environments, clean air and quietude. The value of recreation for visitors depends on a wide range of attributes of the forest. These are, on the one hand, the degree of accessibility (distance to the place of residence), infrastructure for visitors (e.g., trails, picnic areas) and the extent to which only natural sounds can be heard. Edwards et al [4] point out that the age of the forest (i.e., the current stage of development) as well as the (perceived) degree of naturalness that can be judged by the intensity of forestry and conservation efforts contribute most of all to recreation benefits. Forests and other natural environments are of significant importance for human health and well-being (see e.g., [5,6,7])
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