The development of fire-induced damage functions for forest recreation activity in Alberta, Canada

Abstract

This study develops an intertemporal fire damage function for forest recreation activity in the eastern slopes region of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The methodology employed combined revealed-stated preference data in which the behavioral response variable was annual camping trip frequencies. Photographs were used to portray changes in stand ages and related changes in trip frequencies. The data were analysed using negative binomial count data models. Unlike previous studies employing similar methods, a random effects specification was used to develop trip demand parameters. The results suggest that fires initially decrease annual trips from ~2.56 to 1.0 after the burn. As the stand ages, the effect of the fire decreases until ~12 years after the fire when the trip frequencies recover to about their previous ‘old-growth’ levels. This function is different from others described in the literature for similar mountain ecosystems in North America.