Consumer preferences and willingness to pay for biological control in the urban landscape

Urban and suburban residents have more contact with the landscape environment than with any other exterior environment. They place high value on the aesthetic quality of the urban landscape and express significant concerns about managing insect herbivores that damage trees and shrubs. A comprehensive survey was initiated to assess the preference of urban residents for three pest management approaches (chemical pesticide, biorational insecticide, or introduction of a specific natural enemy) to control an introduced urban forest pest. Potential survey participants were initially contacted by telephone. Those agreeing to be interviewed were provided with written background information on the pest, the control options, and given one of 48 different cost and program attribute scenarios for implementation of the three approaches. They were contacted a second time by telephone for a final survey that asked them whether they were willing to pay the annual cost for the program attributes stated in their survey. Release of natural enemies was the overwhelming first choice among control options and application of chemical insecticides was least favored. When the price of all options was low, the respondents preferred the biological control option. As prices for all options rose, the chemical and bacterial options increased in preference, but when prices became high, preferences shifted again to the natural enemy option. The social characteristics of respondents favoring the different options were also examined in a contingent valuation analysis. From the survey, it was possible to calculate a respondent's annual willingness to pay $485 for the natural enemy option, $131 for the bacterial spray option, and $23 for the chemical pesticide option. The results suggest that it may be possible to generate social and financial support from urban residents for introduction/classical biological control programs for landscape insect pests. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.