Valuing the Ecosystem Services of Florida’s Forest Conservation Programs: The Economic Benefits of Protecting Water Quality
Business, Finance, and Economics, Conservation Education, Policy and Administration, and Taxation
Forested ecosystems in Florida provide many kinds of ecosystem services, such as recreation, wildlife habitat, and carbon sequestration. One of the most beneficial services forests provide is the improvement of water quality through the reduction of pollutants, such as increased nutrients that result from various human activities. This paper will discuss the results of a study that examined the value of protecting water quality in Florida, and it will provide estimates of what Floridians may be willing to pay (WTP) for water quality protection programs that include forest conservation.