In this article, we estimate how the willingness to pay (WTP) for forest recreational services affects housing choice location based on the random bidding model. We obtain four major original findings: (i) The WTP for urban park proximity is globally non-significant, in contrast to forest area. (ii) When forests are recreational green spaces (defined by surface area), they positively influence the WTP, which is higher for the wealthiest households and those over the age of 45. (iii) When forests are natural protected areas, their influence on the WTP is negative for the least affluent classes but positive for managers and professionals belonging to the 30-45 age group. (iv) Finally, forest facilities such as hiking and biking paths have a positive impact on the WTP for most socio-professional categories (with the exception of managers and professionals) and especially for households under the age of 30.
Revealed preferences for forest recreational services using the random bidding model
15 April 2019