Willingness To Pay Values Research Articles

Who cares and how much? Narrative for advances in aquatic ecosystem services through non-market valuation with spatial dimensions using a discrete choice experiment

Decision-making regarding valuation of ecosystems services regarding their improvements for life on planet could be exceptionally challenging as different disciplines and theoretical views consider value of ecosystems differently. To attain a better understanding of environmental quality status across Northwest China, a discrete choice experiment approach is carried out in the entire Wei River basin with a sample size of 900 households. A cluster of ecosystem services are put together in a planning alongside betterment in ecological conditions in a choice set. Random parameter logit models (RPL) are applied for estimating spatial heterogeneity in preferences and delta method is implemented to assess the willingness to pay (WTP) values of the sampled respondents for the improvements in the currently degraded ecosystem services. The results exhibit that preferences as well as WTP values are heterogenous at different spatial dimensions, for instance, water quality is highly valued in all selected regions followed by water loss and soil erosion intensity, while there exists heterogeneity in WTP for all other ecological attributes. Similarly, there exists heterogeneity in WTP between the sampled respondents of; upper, lower and middle basins as well as urban and rural areas. The lowest valued ecological attribute includes conditions of eco-tourism & forest park across all spatially distributed urban and rural areas, various regions and at sub-basins. The results indicated that households of the entire river basin are cautious concerning upgradation in the current degraded environmental quality as can be perceived from their corresponding WTP values. The categorical empirical results of our study hence suggest for the sustainable management and conservation of ecosystem services with better environmental quality.

Patient views on genetics and functional imaging for precision medicine: a willingness-to-pay analysis.

Purpose: Willingness-to-pay (WTP) analyses can support allocation processes considering the patients preferences in personalized medicine. However, genetic testing especially might imply ethical concerns that have to be considered. Methods: A WTP questionnaire was designed to compare preferences for imaging and genetic testing in cancer patients and to evaluate potential ethical concerns. Results: Comparing the options of imaging and genetics showed comparable WTP values. Ethical concerns about genetic testing seemed to be minor. Treatment success was the top priority irrespective of the diagnostic modality. In general, the majority of patients considered personalized medicine to be beneficial. Conclusion: Most patients valued personalized approaches and rated the benefits of precision medicine of overriding importance irrespective of modality or ethical concerns.

Households’ willingness to pay for the rehabilitation of wetlands: evidence from Gudera Wetland, Northwest Ethiopia

Gudera wetland is accredited as a home for innumerable goods and services that have economic value for individuals living around and outside them. However, due to the absence of rehabilitation intervention, the wetland is at the edge of collapse at this time. This paper aims to: (1) estimate households' mean willingness to pay (WTP) for the rehabilitation of the wetland, (2) investigate determinants that affect the probability and intensity of WTP, and (3) estimate aggregated welfare gains from the intervention. To address these objectives, data from 237 household heads were collected using a two-stage random sampling procedure. For the analysis, econometric models, such as bivariate probit and double hurdle, were employed to estimate the mean WTP and determinants of WTP, respectively. The result demonstrates that the mean WTP value from the double bounded dichotomous choice ranges from 70.44 to 80.64 Ethiopian Birr per year per household. Likewise, the aggregated welfare gain expected from the rehabilitation intervention ranges from 2,464,977 ($85,589) to 2,821,916 ($97,983) Ethiopian Birr per year. The double hurdle model result revealed that participation in natural resource conservation, frequency of extension contact and trust in budget allocation have a positive and significant effect on households' WTP. Whereas, factors, such as land size around the wetland, distance to the wetland and credit utilization have a negative influence on households’ WTP. These findings suggest that most of the sampled households are willing to contribute for the rehabilitation intervention and this could have implications for the success of future implementation.

Willingness to Pay for Infertility Treatments in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria

Introduction: The burden of infertility has been on the rise in recent times, and not only does it affect millions worldwide, but it also impacts families in numerous ways. Quantification of this burden helps to ascertain the level of competition for available resources for healthcare. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the willingness to pay (WTP) for the treatment of infertility and its possible relationship with sociodemographic factors. Methods: A contingent valuation method using payment cards containing a description of the features and price options was used to elicit WTP values for two treatment options for infertility. Participants were recruited across several hospitals in Abuja. Kruskal Wallis and Man-Whitney U tests were employed as applicable to investigate the effects of socio-demographic factors on WTP. Results: WTP results showed that mean willingness to pay for Option A (NGN696,701 ≃ $1,1828.61) was significantly higher than Option B (N578,982 ≃ $1,519.64) with respondents preferring Option A to B (P=0.0001). Older respondents, those with post-secondary education and those who have waited for more than 12 years to have a child were significantly more willing to pay higher for both Option A and Option B (P=0.0001). Respondents who earned higher were also willing to pay significantly higher for both options. Conclusion: Patients who are older and have waited for longer periods before giving birth were more willing to pay higher for the two infertility treatment options provided. Those respondents with better income also showed a willingness to pay higher than those with lower monthly earnings.

Willingness to Pay for Preventive Dental Care Amongst Older Adults

ObjectiveThe aims of this study were (1) to investigate willingness to pay (WTP) for preventive and curative dental care procedures and (2) to determine the factors that influence older adults’ WTP for dental care. MethodologyOlder, independently living adults from Singapore aged 60 years and older and eligible for government-subsidised dental care were nonrandomly recruited for this study. Data were collected using questionnaires and a clinical examination which recorded details of caries experience, number and distribution of posterior occluding contacts, prosthodontic status, and periodontal status. Using a contingent valuation method, participants were asked to rate WTP in Singapore dollars [SGD$] for 4 aspects of care: dental fillings, dental scaling, dental extraction, and disease prevention advice. Negative binomial regression was used to assess the relationship between the predictor variables associated with WTP for dental fillings, scaling, extraction, and preventive advice. ResultsThe mean value of WTP for a dental filling was SGD$30.23 (SGD$31.05), for scaling was SGD$30.28 (SGD$29.46), for dental extraction was SGD$35.08 (SGD$58.54). In a multivariate model, factors associated with higher WTPfees were as follows: (1) dental filling: age (younger), level of education (higher), and frequency of dental visits (regular); (2) scaling: level of education (higher), agree that dental problems affect overall health, and frequency of dental visits (regular); (3) dental extractions: age (younger), level of education (higher), frequency of dental visits (regular), and prosthodontic status (not wearing); (4) preventive advice: age (younger), gender (male), ethnicity (Chinese), level of education (higher), marital status (married), self-perceived oral health (good), and dental visits (regular). ConclusionsThe findings of our study suggest that older adults are willing to pay most for extraction and least for preventive advice.

Analisis Kesediaan Konsumen Membayar Durian di Gerai Ucok Durian Medan

Durian is a plant that isn’t always available at all times or called local durian. This condition encourages Ucok Durian outlets to always provide good quality durian. This study aims to describe the characteristic of consumers durian, analyze the average value of maximum that consumers are willing to pay, and determine the factors that influence consumers’ Willingness To Pay (WTP). The research method is the survey method, conducted at the Ucok Durian Medan outlet. The sampling method used accidental purposive sampling and the determination number of samples using quota sampling of 80 respondents. Data analysis used descriptive analysis to explain consumer characteristics, Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) analysis to calculate the value consumers WTP for durian, and logistic regression analysis to analyze the factors that influence consumers’ WTP for durian. The results showed that most of the consumers is male (72.6%), 17-25 years old (38.8%), married status (73.8%), last education is Diploma and S1 (56.2%),the number of family members is 4-6 people (65%), formal work (91.2%) and income> Rp 4,000,000 - Rp 7,000.000/month (38.8%). As many as 86.25% of respondents are willing to pay for durian which is more expensive than the normal price. The average value of the consumer's WTP for durian, respectively, is Rp 50,000 and Rp 75,000, amounting to Rp 53,284.31 and Rp 75,625/piece, with a proportion of 6.57% and 0.83% of the current price. The factors that influence consumers’ WTP for durian are jobs, price, product quality, and lifestyle.

Monetary Valuation of a Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) for Depressive Disorders Among Patients and Non-Patient Respondents: A Matched Willingness to Pay Study.

As estimated by the World Health Organization, depressive disorders will be the leading contributor to the Global Burden of Disease by 2030. In light of this fact, we designed a study whose aim was to investigate whether the value placed on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for a depressive disorder is higher in patients diagnosed with a major depressive disorder (MDD) compared to non-patients in a matched sample. We collected data on willingness to pay (WTP) for a total of four health-gain scenarios, which were presented to 18 outpatients diagnosed with a MDD versus 18 matched non-patient respondents with no symptoms of depression. Matching characteristics included age, income, level of education, and type of health insurance. Respondents were presented with different HRQoL scenarios in which they could choose to pay money to regain their initial health state through various treatment options (e.g., inpatient treatment, electroconvulsive therapy). To test whether the probability of stating a positive WTP differed significantly between the two samples, Fisher's exact test was used. Differences regarding stated WTP between the samples were investigated using the Mann-Whitney U-test. For most of the health scenarios, the probability of stating a positive WTP did not differ between the two samples. However, patient respondents declared WTP values up to 7.4 times higher than those stated by matched non-patient respondents. Although the perceived necessity to pay for mental-HRQoL gains did not differ between respondents with MDD and respondents with no symptoms of depression, patient respondents stated higher values.

The influence of clan social capital on collective biogas investment

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of clan social capital on the willingness to pay (WTP) and WTP value for collective biogas investment.Design/methodology/approachUsing the Heckman two-stage model and a dataset of 1,265 representative observations from three provinces in Central China collected in 2019, this paper utilizes the contingent valuation method to estimate households' WTP value for collective biogas investment. The paper also explores the heterogeneity between households with different clan governance mechanisms and village governance structures.FindingsThe results indicate that clan networks and trust were likely to improve farmer households' WTP, while clan trust and norms could improve their WTP values. For clans with councils and for clans that can influence the decision-making of village committees, their members were more likely to be influenced by the social capital of their clans to pay for collective biogas investment.Originality/valueThis paper focuses on the WTP and WTP values of households for collective biogas investment, which is often neglected in the research. This paper suggests that clans can be used as a medium to urge households to increase their collective power to reduce carbon emissions and climate crises. The findings empirically contribute to efforts to reduce rural carbon emissions.

Willingness-to-pay for cancer treatment and outcome: a systematic review.

Understanding patient preferences in cancer management is essential for shared decision-making. Patient or societal willingness-to-pay (WTP) for desired outcomes in cancer management represents their preferences and values of these outcomes. The aim of this systematic review is to critically evaluate how current literature has addressed WTP in relation to cancer treatment and achievement of outcomes. Seven databases were searched from inception until 2 March 2021 to include studies with primary data of WTP values for cancer treatments or achievement of outcomes that were elicited using stated preference methods. Fifty-four studies were included in this review. All studies were published after year 2000 and more than 90% of the studies were conducted in high-income countries. Sample size of the studies ranged from 35 to 2040, with patient being the most studied population. There was a near even distribution between studies using contingent valuation and discrete choice experiment. Based on the included studies, the highest WTP values were for a quality-adjusted life year (QALY) ($11,498-$589,822), followed by 1-year survival ($3-$198,576), quality of life (QoL) improvement ($5531-$139,499), and pain reduction ($79-$94,662). Current empirical evidence suggested that improvement in QoL and pain reduction had comparable weights to survival in cancer management. This systematic review provides a summary on stated preference studies that elicited patient preferences via WTP and summarised their respective values. Respondents in this review had comparable WTP for 1-year survival and QoL, suggesting that improvement in QoL should be emphasised together with survival in cancer management.

Willingness to Pay for Taman Hutan Raya Pocut Meurah Intan: Does environmental awareness boost ecotourism?

Conservation areas play a significant role in protecting biodiversity, which functions as providers of ecosystem services, protecting threatened species, and mitigating climate change. Tahura, as a national park and tourist park, is a protected area. However, Tahura can be developed into a tourist attraction on condition that it maintains environmental conditions. This study aimed to analyze the willingness to pay (WTP) for Tahura ecotourism in Saree, Aceh Besar Regency. The analytical model was used to determine the value of WTP through multiple linear regression with a sample of 398 respondents obtained based on the Slovin formula. The study results showed that income, education, employment status, and environmental knowledge significantly affect WTP for Tahura TPMI’s Ecotourism. The most significant influence on environmental knowledge helped boost the WTP by 64.77 percent. Based on the calculation of the economic evaluation, TPMI has an economic value of Rp1.023 billion rupiah per hectare. The total land area evaluation calculation shows that Tahura TPMI has a value of Rp6.4 trillion rupiah.

Resource Allocation in a National Dental Service Using Program Budgeting Marginal Analysis.

In any health system, choices must be made about the allocation of resources (budget), which are often scarce. Economics has defined frameworks to aid resource allocation, and program budgeting marginal analysis (PBMA) is one such framework. In principle, patient and public values can be incorporated into these frameworks, using techniques such as willingness to pay (WTP). However, this has not been done before, and few formal resource allocation processes have been undertaken in dentistry. This study aimed to undertake a PBMA with embedded WTP values in a national dental setting. The PBMA process was undertaken by a panel of participant-researchers representing commissioners, dentists, dental public health staff, and academics. The panel reviewed current allocations and generated a set of weighted criteria to evaluate services against. Services to be considered for removal and investment were determined by the panel and wider discussion and then scored against the criteria. Values from a nationally representative WTP survey of the public contributed to the scores for interventions. Final decisions on removal and investment were taken after panel discussion using individual anonymous electronic voting. The PBMA process resulted in recommendations to invest in new program components to improve access to general dentists, care home dentistry, and extra support for dental public health input into local government decisions. Disinvestments were recommended in orthodontics and to remove routine scaling and polishing of teeth. The PBMA process was successful in raising awareness of resource allocation issues. Implementation of findings will depend on the ability of decision makers to find ways of operationalizing the decisions. The process illustrates practical aspects of the process that future dental PBMAs could learn from. This study illustrates a framework for resource allocation in dental health services and will aid decision makers in implementing their own resource allocation systems.

A Willingness-to-Pay Associated Right Prefrontal Activation During a Single, Real Use of Lipsticks as Assessed Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Understanding consumer preferences and behavior is a major goal of consumer-oriented companies. The application of neuroscience to this goal is a promising avenue for companies. Previously, we observed a positive correlation during actual cosmetic use between the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) activity, measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and the associated willingness-to-pay (WTP) values. However, we were unable to find any consistent group differences in the right dlPFC between different powdery foundations. Thus, the main objective of this study was to replicate the previous study and in addition, we aimed to refine the method of the previous study to increase the chance that a difference in valuation between different products can be detected. Twenty-five frequent lipstick using females were asked to apply six different lipsticks to their lips and to record how much they were willing to pay. To maximize the variation of the subjective experience of the products and the associated brain activity, the most preferred color lipstick and a less preferred color lipstick were chosen for each participant, and each color of lipstick had three different textures (Lo, Mid, and Hi). The time series was analyzed with the general linear model (GLM) and the correlation between the right dlPFC beta scores for the lipsticks and their respective WTP values conducted for each participant. This revealed a significant positive correlation and replicated our previous study. Surprisingly, the lipstick color and the texture manipulations did not result in any consistent differences in WTP and similarly no consistent group differences in brain activations. This study replicates our previous study extending it to a different type of cosmetic. The right dlPFC activity during the use of cosmetics may be a potential brain-based personalization or product selection process biomarker.

Sensitivity to scope of water and wastewater service valuations: a meta-analysis of findings from water price reviews in Great Britain

ABSTRACT At the 2014/15 water price reviews in Great Britain, a notionally similar stated preference methodology was used across multiple customer surveys to derive willingness to pay (WTP) estimates for comparable service improvements. Very different valuations were obtained for the same service measures, however, raising questions regarding their validity and reliability. This paper examines the variation in those WTP estimates via a meta-analysis of household WTP values from 18 water companies for five common service measures. Our main finding is that WTP decreased substantially with the service changes offered for valuation, a finding that is inconsistent with expected utility theory, the standard economic theory of rational choice under uncertainty, but is consistent with predictions from prospect theory, and with empirical evidence from related fields. Moreover, the majority of the observed variation in WTP estimates could be explained by differences in the scope of service change offered. The study also finds that WTP increased with the number of households supplied, a finding which is considered likely to be due to altruism, and with GDP per capita, and decreased with the number of attributes included in the study design. Significant risk framing effects are also identified.

Estimating residents' willingness to pay for wetland conservation using contingent valuation: the case of Van Long Ramsar Protected Area, Vietnam

Abstract. Truong DD. 2021. Estimating residents' willingness to pay for wetland conservation using contingent valuation: the case of Van Long Ramsar Protected Area, Vietnam. Biodiversitas 22: 4784-4793. Willingness to pay (WTP) for wetland conservation is an important basis for designing market-based wetland protection strategies and sustainable wetland management. The main objective of this study is to estimate villagers' WTP for wetland conservation in Van Long Wetland Protected Area, Vietnam, and analyze factors influencing WTP. A questionnaire survey based on the dichotomous contingent valuation method (CVM) was conducted at seven communes surrounding Van Long Ramsar Protected Area (VLPA). The results showed that the local people in the studied area appreciate the roles of the wetland in preserving landscape values, supporting livelihoods, and transmitting values ??to future generations. The value of biodiversity conservation and the value of water filtration and regulation are perceived to a lesser extent in terms of the importance of conservation. Of the 384 respondents, 96% are WTP for wetland conservation at different levels. With the parametric model, the average value of WTP ranges from 300,000 to VND 328,000 VND /family/year. In the non-parametric model, the average of WTP is from 338,000 to 359,000 VND/family/year. The probability of environmental response' that willing to pay for conservation is closely related to their awareness, family income and payment amount. The results also showed optimistic points that the local people are willing to contribute to improving wetland quality. In a general sense, the results of this study make good contributions to the literature related to WTP for wetland conservation in developing countries.

How conditional are the conditional willingness-to-pay estimates? A Monte Carlo evaluation

ABSTRACT This paper aims to examine whether or not differing sample compositions influence conditional willingness-to-pay (WTP) estimates for the same respondents, using a Monte Carlo evaluation. The results in this paper challenge the use of individual-specific WTP values. Approximately at least one out of five respondents are likely to show frequent extreme WTP values. Interval variables might give more stable tastes across varying sample compositions than dummy variables. Nonmarket valuation researchers, exploring preference heterogeneity, should be more cautious about potentially unstable conditional WTP estimates, particularly when respondents are regrouped with differing memberships.

A preference for quality: Australian general public's willingness to pay for home and residential aged care

In Australia and many other countries internationally, aged care services are provided to older people in their own homes or residential care facilities. The majority of these services are funded by the federal government using taxpayer contributions from the general public. However, the monetary value Australians place on aged care services, and the factors that predict this value, have not been examined. We, therefore, sought to determine the general public's willingness to pay (WTP) for aged care services and examine which factors influence this WTP. A cross-sectional contingent valuation survey was administered to a nationally representative cohort of 10,285 Australians between September and October 2020 from the general population aged 18 years and over. Respondents were asked to indicate their WTP values for satisfactory and high-quality aged care services to be provided in the future. A two-part regression model was used to explain what factors explained variation in WTP. In total, 80% (61%) of respondents were willing to pay to access satisfactory (high) quality home care (counterpart figures for residential care were 64% (45%)). On average, respondents were willing to pay between $126 and $158 ($145 and $237) per week to receive satisfactory-quality (high-quality) home care and between $333 and $520 ($308 and $680) per week for satisfactory-quality (high-quality) residential care. Respondents were willing to pay an additional $120 per week on average to access high-quality aged care. Higher WTP values were generally associated with being younger, male, recent experience with aged care through a close family member accessing aged care and ability to pay. These results suggest general public support for payment of individual co-contributions to access aged care services in the future.

ANALISIS KESEDIAAN MEMBAYAR WILLINGNESS TO PAY (WTP) KONSUMEN TERHADAP PRODUK BATIK TULIS KHAS JOMBANG

In determining the selling price, it is important to know how much consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) to get Jombang Typical Batik Tulis products with better quality. In this regard, this study aims to determine the maximum average value of WTP that consumers are willing to pay in buying Batik Tulis Jombang Typical and to find out the significant factors that affect the WTP of Batik Tulis Jombang typical consumers. This study took a sample of 40 respondents who were consumers of Jombang's typical written batik products, and were selected using the purposive sampling method. The data were analyzed using the contingent valuation method (CVM) analysis and using multiple linear regression analysis. The results showed that the maximum average value of WTP for consumers of Batik Tulis Jombang typical was Rp 555,250.00 per piece. Among them, the factors that significantly influence consumers' willingness to pay are gender, income and price.

WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY FOR INSULIN IN DIABETES TREATMENT: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Background: Insulin treatment is necessary for all patients with type 1 diabetes and a subset of patients with type 2 diabetes. However, lifetime insulin treatment is relatively costly that has put a heavy financial burden on insulin-dependent diabetics. Several studies thus have been conducted widely to estimate diabetes patients' willingness to pay (WTP) for insulin therapies worldwide. This study aimed to derive the diabetes patients' WTP for insulin therapy from the results of previous research studies. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of diabetes patients’ WTP for insulin was conducted. All studies were searched and derived from PubMed combined with MeSH, Cochrane library combined with MeSH, ScienceDirect, and Springer Nature. The WTP values were estimated for three different types of insulin, including short-acting, rapid-acting insulin; long-acting, slow-acting insulin, and mixed insulin. Review Manager 5.1.4 software was used to conduct the meta-analysis. Results: Twelve studies were identified by the systematic review, in which eight studies were eligible for a meta-analysis. Most studies were conducted in high-income countries (83.3%), mainly in America (41.7%) and Europe (33.3%). The insulin formulation with the highest mean WTP value was Humalog Mix25 insulin, which was recorded at 410.42 USD per month in the UK and more than 120 USD per month in France, Italy, Spain, and Germany; while most of the other insulin formulations had mean WTP values less than 120 USD per month. Compared to diabetes patients, general populations were willing to pay less for insulin, which was observed in the case of Humalog Mix25 insulin (mean 95.77 USD per month vs 205.89 USD per month) and inhaled insulin (mean 50.43 USD per month compared to more than 120 USD per month). The meta-analysis showed the WTP value for insulin was 74.15 USD per month (95% CI; 55.82 - 92.48). Conclusion: This study showed a comparison of WTP values for different insulin formulations worldwide. The mean WTP value for insulin derived from all previous research may provide an initial understanding of the individuals' preference and WTP. This information could contribute to the effort of managing diabetes and reducing the financial burden of this chronic disease.

The economic value of heritage in England: A benefit transfer study

Historic buildings contribute an important part of the cultural capital of urban heritage areas. Better understanding the benefits for both users and for non-users can aid efficient allocation of resources to the preservation of heritage. Benefit transfer (BT) is an established cost-effective method for assigning economic values to public goods which have no market price, such as local heritage. BT takes stated preference data (willingness to pay (WTP)) elicited through surveys of relevant populations collected at multiple sites to produce an average or adjusted WTP value that is representative to comparable sites. Yet the empirical record is sparse for heritage assets. Consequently, BT is commonly applied without consideration of the error introduced by the transfer, or by transferring values from single-site studies, which introduces the risk of outlier bias. Our approach simultaneously collects WTP estimates from multiple heritage sites using an online survey tailored to the context of each site. This enables application of a comprehensive range of BT tests to the values obtained. We find that transfer error across the heritage sites surveyed is within accepted thresholds of error, providing confidence in the bank of values for transfer to comparable sites. We provide practical guidance on how the values obtained through our method can be applied by practitioners and government analysts, and outline the trade-offs between bulk data collection of multiple sites in a single category of cultural heritage.

Heterogeneous preferences and economic values for urban forest structural and functional attributes

The structural and functional attributes of urban and peri-urban forests are the basis for the provision of a suite of ecosystem services that directly and indirectly benefit residents across scales, tenures and land uses. As such, many local governments promote municipal urban forest initiatives such as maintenance and management plans, ordinances, and tree-giveaway programs (e.g. Orlando, USA and Sydney, Australia). However, the effectiveness and distributional fairness of these activities often overlooks residents’ values and preferences for certain tree functional traits, sizes, densities and associated costs. This study implements an online survey of 724 Florida, USA residents, to: 1) examine preferences/tradeoffs for multiple urban forest structure-function attributes; 2) quantify and assess the differences in willingness-to-pay (WTP) for these forest structure attributes in public areas; and 3) examine the implications of value heterogeneity for tree function-structure attributes for purposes of crafting policies or designing public programs dealing with urban forests. Only 19% of respondents indicated a serious concern about living close to trees and flowering plants that produce pollen that can result in allergies. Similarly, only 12% were concerned about hurricane wind impacts to and from their treescapes. Using latent class modeling and a stated preferences panel data, our results reveal important differences in WTP along multiple value groups, each with different WTP values for: tree nativity (native vs. exotic); number of species (many vs. few) and size of trees (fully grown vs. mix of ages); as well as maintenance costs. The novel approach of this study indicates the importance of using tree functional traits versus species taxa and accounting for diverse values among the public for more effective decisions. Findings can be used to inform timely policy initiatives, while providing additional evidence of the ubiquity of the public’s heterogeneous values and providing guidance to avoid potentially misleading policy interpretations.