a cost-benefit analysis of land diversity at the mead

A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Land

Diversity at the MeadPreliminary Research from a

Problem-Based Environmental Economics Service Learning Project

Outline

Eco 342: Environmental Economics Service Learning Project (SLP)

History of George W. Mead Wildlife Area Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA)

ProblemCostsSurvey of BenefitsPreliminary Results

Wisconsin Economic Association: December 4, 2010


SLP Fall 2009: 11th Hour

Began conversations mid-October Tom Meier (Property Manager) and Pam Resech

(Educational Coordinator) at the Mead helped design the service learning project. Provide an economic assessment of land diversity at

the Mead Volunteered labor as a class

Class voted on project October 28th

SLP Fall 2009: Design

Project Timeline and Deadlines Project Outline (Nov 3rd HW)

Define the question and alternative Consider data collection List benefits and Cost considerations

Literature review on benefit topic (Nov 17th HW) Cost measure questions (Dec 1st) Survey questionnaire (Dec 7th) Combine Intro and research design (Dec 14th)


SLP Fall 2009: Volunteer November 6th: Brushed trails and dikes

December 4th: Cleared Buckthorn Land diversity relies heavily on labor.


History of the Mead

1850s-1910s: Logging “pinery“ and farm dredging

1933: Consolidated Water Power and Paper Company purchase

April 10, 1959: Stanton Mead gifts 20,000 acres to the state for use as a wildlife refuge.


History of the Mead


WI DNR: State Managed Lands

Land Types State Parks State Forests State Trails State Natural Areas County Parks and

Forests Wildlife Areas


Source http://dnrmaps.wi.gov/DNRManagedLands/

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/findapark.html

http://dnr.wi.gov/forestry/StateForests/

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/findatrail.html

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/sna/bycountylist.htm



http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/partners/coparks.html



http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/wildlife_areas/

http://dnrmaps.wi.gov/DNRManagedLands/

WI DNR: Wildlife Areas Section 23.09 (2) (d) 3., State Stats., provides legislative authority and direction for

the acquisition and management of state wildlife areas. The primary purpose of state wildlife areas as stated in this statute is to provide "areas in which any citizen may hunt, trap or fish". Section 23.11 (1), Stats., provides for the general care, protection and supervision of state lands. Section 23.30, Stats., deals with the provisions of the outdoor recreation program.

The management and uses of state wildlife areas are further defined in NR 1.51. WI Admin Code. While hunting and trapping are the primary public uses for wildlife areas; other uses, such as walking, nature study, berry picking, and other low-impact recreational activities are also allowed. Other compatible open-space uses may be allowed under the property’s Master Plan when they do not detract from the primary purpose of the property; however, they may be limited in time and location to avoid interference with wildlife production or survival and public hunting and trapping.


CBA:Land Diversity Overview Should Mead land diversity be maintained?

Approximately 33,000 Acres 1/3 Forests 1/3 Grasslands/Crops 1/3 Wetlands/Water

Sunk Costs of $2 Million to create ponds, dykes, repair natural watershed, trails, and water control systems.


CBA: Costs Annual costs to retard tree growth

Equipment: $35,000 Burning: $3,000 Spraying: $20,000 Mowing: $1,500 Dozing & Mulching: $1,750 Hand Brushing: $1,000

Annual costs to maintain wetlands Dike and equipment repair $15,000 Total $77,250


CBA: Benefits Benefits of Land Diversity

Use Values (7 categories) Hunting Birding Wildlife Watching Hiking & Biking Trapping Education Opportunities

Non-Use Values (2 categories) Future Generations Existence Value


CBA: Survey Design

Contingent valuation survey questions directed at Donation

Toward WA with diverse lands Toward WA entirely forested

$5 fee increase To fund diverse lands

Binary preference Land diversity or entirely forested

Number of visits (30 minutes) To WA with diverse lands To WA entirely forested


Preliminary results

Preliminary results

CBA: Survey Results

How much would you donate? (all 9 categories)


0.0

1D

ensi

ty

-50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400Value of Land Diversity

kernel = epanechnikov, bandwidth = 25.0000

Kernel density estimate

CBA: Survey Results

How much would you donate? (7 use categories)


0.0

1D

ensi

ty

-50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400Use value of Land Diversity



CBA: Survey Results

How much would you donate? (2 non-use categories)


0.0

1D

ensi

ty

-50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400Non-Use value of Land Diversity



CBA: Survey Results

Would you support a temporary $5 fee increase?


05

1015

20P

erce

nt

0 .2 .4 .6 .8Percent of categories in favor of temporary $5 fee

CBA: Survey Results

Would you support a temporary $5 fee increase?


0.2

.4.6

.8

mean of perc_don_hunt mean of perc_don_birdmean of perc_don_wild mean of perc_don_bikemean of perc_don_hike mean of perc_don_trapmean of perc_don_educ

CBA: Other Costs and Benefits Costs/Benefits Issues not explicitly measured or

in survey Timber Rotations Timber & Crop Prices Game Warden Monitoring Maintenance of Invasive Species Grants and Funding Sources State endangered species Share cropping of 500 acres/year


CBA: Survey

Survey is young Additional respondents next semester Need to reach a larger audience

Appropriate population for the question Sensitivity analysis of questionnaire

Donation(50%) $5 (0% to 95%)

Questions?


a cost-benefit analysis of land diversity at the mead

Documents

state stats

wildlife production

wildlife areassection

wildlife refuge

supervision of state

primary public uses

benefit topic

stanton mead gifts