The Economic Value of Environmental Services on Indigenous-Held Lands in Australia
2011

Willingness to Pay for Environmental Services by Indigenous People in Australia

Sample size: 927 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Kerstin K. Zander, Stephen T. Garnett

Primary Institution: Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University

Hypothesis

How much are Australians willing to pay for environmental services provided by Indigenous people?

Conclusion

Australians may be willing to pay significantly more for Indigenous people to provide environmental services than is currently being invested by the government.

Supporting Evidence

  • 70% of respondents were willing to contribute to a conservation fund.
  • The average willingness to pay was $80 for attractive recreational conditions.
  • Respondents preferred feral animal control as the most supported activity.

Takeaway

People in Australia might pay a lot of money to help Indigenous people take care of the environment, which is much more than what the government currently spends.

Methodology

A nationwide survey including a choice experiment to assess willingness to pay for environmental services.

Potential Biases

Potential bias in responses due to the demographic makeup of the respondents, with only 2.2% being Indigenous.

Limitations

The study primarily focused on non-Indigenous perspectives and may not fully capture Indigenous viewpoints.

Participant Demographics

Average age of respondents was 51, with 53% female and 2.2% Indigenous.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Confidence Interval

95% CI for welfare estimates provided

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0023154

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