Estimation of the monetary value of biodiversity in the Central Alborz Protected Area

Biodiversity refers to genetic diversity and complex sets of communities and ecosystems. Environmental degradation can jeopardize biodiversity and decrease ecosystem service quality. Biodiversity is not an endless and free commodity, and the costs of its destruction must be taken into account. Thus, estimating the monetary value of a region's biodiversity can help stakeholders understand its economic, social, and cultural status, and ultimately, by increasing public awareness, community demands for protection and investment are properly shaped. This study aims to estimate the monetary value of biodiversity in the Central Alborz Protected Area in Iran. This area is part of the Alborz Mountain range and the wildlife and plant species of this region have a unique biodiversity. For this purpose, the willingness to pay was estimated. In designing the Choice Experiment, five attributes including wildlife species status, plant species status, natural landscape, research facilities, and tourism facilities have been considered. The results showed that maintaining and improving the status of animal species and tourism conditions among respondents has a higher priority than the other three attributes. The annual value of marginal willingness to pay was 13020 Tomans per person and the conservation value of biodiversity is estimated at 23 billion Tomans. Also, the results of the simple Logit model showed that the average per capita willingness to pay the respondents to protect the region is 16,369 Tomans and the value of biodiversity protection is about 28.6 billion Tomans.

Automated summary

Biodiversity, comprising genetic diversity and complex ecosystems, is essential for maintaining environmental balance. Determining the monetary value of biodiversity can enhance public awareness and shape demands for conservation efforts. In the case of the Central Alborz Protected Area in Iran, estimates show that respondents prioritize the status of animal species and tourism facilities, indicating the economic significance of biodiversity protection.