Economic Valuation of Wildlife Habitat Conservation

The Earth’s ecosystems are rapidly deteriorating due to human activities. Habitats are being lost or degraded, and associated wildlife species are declining or becoming extinct at unprecedented rates. The study area, the prefectures of Rodopi and Evros, is a Greek biodiversity hotspot containing degraded habitats, such as forests and wetlands, that are critical for many threatened wildlife species. This situation calls for conserving threatened wildlife habitats, which requires considerable funds. A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate willingness to pay (WTP) for wildlife habitat conservation. We conducted personal interviews with residents of the study area, using a sample of 849 citizens from the two regions determined through stratified random sampling design, with equal allocation to the strata. The mean annual WTP per household was estimated at EUR 21.3, yielding a total of EUR 790,000 from households in the study area. Pro-environmental behavior was positively associated with WTP. Females and those with higher household income reported higher WTP than males and those with lower household income. Government agencies were preferred over hunting clubs and environmental NGOs for implementing programs to conserve local wildlife habitats. Findings will be most useful if incorporated into policies to (a) secure the funds necessary to implement wildlife habitat conservation programs in the area and (b) increase transparency and trust between conservation entities and the local community.