Abstract
Aim of study: The purpose of this study is to estimate the economic value of the recreational use of a protected natural area. The importance of the study lies in the justification of these valuations due to the use that society perceives from the environmental benefits of these areas as well as to the valuable information for management for public administrators with the aim of checking the budget that they manage.Area of study: Calares del Mundo and Sima Natural Park (Albacete, Castilla-La Mancha).Material and methods: With the purpose of determining consumer surplus, 410 surveys were made in August, 2009 and the individual travel cost method was used.Main results: The value the visitor conceded for the recreational use of the park was 12.58 € and the annual consumer surplus value added for recreational use reached almost 3.5 million euros.Research highlights: This research emphasizes that the results are along the same lines as those from similar studies carried out in natural areas of Spain as well as in natural areas of other countries.Key words: natural areas; travel cost method; consumer surplus; Castilla-La Mancha.
Highlights
In recent years, there has been an important increase in the concern by society about problems related to the preservation of our natural heritage and biodiversity
Environmental problems have become a cause of concern to people, those problems involving the degradation of natural areas, whether from industrial or urban developments
The recreational use value of the Calares del Mundo and Sima Natural Park was estimated through the application of the individual travel cost method
Summary
There has been an important increase in the concern by society about problems related to the preservation of our natural heritage and biodiversity. Among the various above-mentioned activities, recreational ones are experiencing a noticeable increase in demand by people to make use of a top quality environment with a series of services for leisure and the enjoyment of nature To satisfy this demand, the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha has two National Parks (BOE, 1989): Las Tablas de Daimiel, and Cabañeros; six Natural Parks: Lagunas de Ruidera, Hayedo de Tejera Negra, Alto Tajo, Barranco del Río Dulce, Serranía de Cuenca, and Calares del Mundo and Sima, besides other less protected areas. The Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha has two National Parks (BOE, 1989): Las Tablas de Daimiel, and Cabañeros; six Natural Parks: Lagunas de Ruidera, Hayedo de Tejera Negra, Alto Tajo, Barranco del Río Dulce, Serranía de Cuenca, and Calares del Mundo and Sima, besides other less protected areas Together they occupy a surface area of 316,724 hectares, constituting approximately 4% of the Community surface area
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