The recreational valuation of a natural forest park using travel cost method in Iran

One of the most important benefits of a forest, which can be considered over the revenue yielded from timber and other wood based products, is the recreational benefits for visitors. Considering the novelty and necessity of evaluating bio-environmental economics of forest parks in developing countries such as Iran, the present study will focus on the evaluation of the Willingness to Pay (WTP) for a northern Iranian Forest park (Abbas Abad-Behshahr as a case study) utilizing one of the worldwide common methods of evaluation (Travel Cost Method). Based on the method, the park was considered as the centre of the fivefold region as concentric circles. The number of visitors was determined using questionnaires and the park's value was determined by estimation of the visitors access cost using Travel Cost Method. Furthermore, the economic value extracted timber products of the neighbouring forestry plan was reckoned. The calculated factor was then compared to the economic value of the park. As a result, the park's recreational value was judged to be much more than produced timber values. Therefore, it is concluded that the unparalleled natural, historical and bio-environmental values of the park would be preserved by planning an appropriate and well-programmed management system, considering the unique conditions of the Park. Thus, it can fulfil the recreational requirements of the people in the local/national scale.