A place in the sun for coastal recreation: A GIS-based meta-analysis and global value map

The economic values of the recreational services provided by coastal ecosystems worldwide are examined through a meta-analysis of an expanded database of stated and revealed preference estimates. A series of site and context characteristics such as site accessibility, anthropogenic pressure, level of human development and richness in marine biodiversity are introduced for the first time in a meta-analysis of coastal recreation and found to significantly influence values. The results of the meta-regression are transferred and scaled up to produce the first global map of the recreational value of coastal ecosystems. Geographic Information System (GIS) tools are fully integrated in the analysis and relied upon for the characterization of the valued ecosystems, determination of the spatially explicit variables of the meta-regression model, and value transfer exercise. The policy implications of the study for the prioritization of areas for conservation or development are outlined.