title: Valuing nature-based recreation in public natural areas of the Apalachicola River region, Florida.
abstract: As more people visit natural areas for tourism and recreation purposes, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the value they place on these natural resources. Specifically, tourists to Florida have been increasingly interested in visiting natural areas, forests, parks, and preserves-highlighting the importance of this new and growing phenomenon. We analyze visitors' demand for nature-based recreation in the Apalachicola River region of Florida using the travel cost method. The results from a count data regression model reveal that on average visitors would pay 74.18 dollars per visit-day for nature-based recreation resulting in a total economic value of 484.56 million dollars attributable to nature-based recreation in the Apalachicola River region. Results of this study provide useful information for natural resources management in the region and a rationale to preserve Florida's unique ecosystems.
authors.affiliation: School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, P.O. Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. shrestha1001@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ram K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.forename: Taylor V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D005431:Florida; D005843:Geography; D018803:Models, Economic; D011998:Recreation / Q000191:economics*; D045483:Rivers