A global map of coastal recreation values: Results from a spatially explicit meta-analysis

Andrea Ghermandi, Paulo A.L.D. Nunes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This paper examines the welfare dimension of the recreational services of coastal ecosystems. First, we construct a global database of primary valuation studies that focus on recreational benefits of coastal ecosystems. Second, the profile of each of the 253 individual observations is enriched with characteristics of the built coastal environment (accessibility, anthropogenic pressure, human development level), natural coastal environment (presence of protected area, ecosystem type, marine biodiversity), geo-climatic factors (temperature, precipitation), and sociopolitical context. We then propose a meta-analytical framework that is built upon a Geographic Information System (GIS) and allow for the exploration of the spatial dimension of the valued ecosystems, including the role of spatial heterogeneity of the selected meta-regression variables as well as the spatial profile of the transferred values. The empirical outcome results in the first global map of the values of coastal recreation, which may play a crucial role in identifying and ranking coastal area conservation priorities from a socio-economic perspective.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-15
Number of pages15
JournalEcological Economics
Volume86
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2013

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors are thankful to Conservation International, under the Global Ocean Valuation research , and the European Commission , under grant agreement no. 226675 KnowSeas — Knowledge-based Sustainable Management for Europe's Seas, for their financial support. We express our personal appreciation of the valuable comments expressed by Rosimeiry Portela, Leah Bunce Karrer, Nalini Rao and three anonymous referees on previous versions of the manuscript. In addition, we are grateful to Fabiano Godoy, Carlos Cano, Andre Boustany, John Fay, Laura Onofri, Ferdinando Villa, and Venetia Hargreaves–Allen for their input at various stages of the research.

Keywords

  • Built coastal environment
  • Ecosystem service valuation
  • GIS
  • Meta-analytical value transfer
  • Natural coastal environment
  • Spatial economic valuation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Environmental Science
  • Economics and Econometrics

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