John R. Stoll

Measuring Specialization among Birders: Utility of a Self-Classification Measure

This article sought to determine the efficacy of a self-classification measure of recreation specialization, relative to two-multi-item approaches, in predicting other aspects of recreation participation (in this case, motivations). The sample was drawn from birders who traveled to the Platte River (Nebraska) to experience the annual crane migration. The self-classification measure had birdwatchers categorize themselves as a committed birder, an active birder, or a casual birder. Factor analysis of six behavior, skill, and commitment items resulted in a single factor solution; thus, an index of recreation specialization was created by summing respondents’ standardized scores for these items. Respondents were divided into categories of high, medium, and low specialization. Also, cluster analysis was used to create another multi-item indicator of specialization. Each of the three measures was significantly related to motivations. The self-classification measure of specialization was somewhat stronger in predicting activity-specific motivations; there was little difference among measures in predicting more generic birdwatching motives. This research was funded by Fermata with a contract from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Understanding the diversity of eight birder sub-populations: socio-demographic characteristics, motivations, expenditures and net benefits.

Participation in birding is not only more popular than outdoor recreation activities like hunting and fishing but it is growing in popularity. National studies of wildlife watching provide limited social and economic understandings of birding and por- tray birders and their participation in terms of averages. There is a need to move beyond aggregate understandings and understand various sub-groups within the birding social world. Within-group differences among birders were explored using the same survey questions and methodology. We tested for differences among eight geographically dispersed birder sub-populations in terms of their demographic characteristics, birding motivations and behaviour, expenditures and willingness-to-pay for their birding experiences to demonstrate the breadth and complexity of the social world of birding. While there were few significant group differences in terms of the demographic characteristics of birders, there were significant group differences identified for most behavioural, motivational, and economic measures. Results reinforce the point that generalisations about the overall population of birders and their leisure activity should not rely solely on results from sub-population studies. Finally, this paper reported an average birding trip expenditure across groups (

The Economic Value of Scuba-Diving Use of Natural and Artificial Reef Habitats

506) as well as an estimated

Platte River Birding and the Spring Migration: Humans, Value, and Unique Ecological Resources

50 per day in social benefits received by birders above and beyond trip costs.

Testing for Misspecification in the Referendum Contingent Valuation Approach

Artificial reefs may attract and sustain fish populations, but whether they resemble natural reefs is open to conjecture. This article addresses the question of whether artificial reefs are functionally acceptable to scuba divers. Research objectives were (1) to identify the nonmarket value of recreational scuba diving in offshore marine waters and (2) to ascertain whether the willingness to pay for scuba diving varied between users of natural and artificial reef habitats. A random sample of 1,059 scuba divers was used to estimate consumers surplus associated with the diving experience. While natural and artificial habitats provide substantial economic value associated with diving, results indicate divers using natural reef habitats value their diving experience significantly more highly than those using artificial reef habitats. Also, substantial value from recreational diving use of artificial reefs suggests they serve as potential substitutes and thus may alleviate pressures on natural reef areas for conservation purposes.

Understanding anglers' willingness to pay under alternative management regimes.

Each spring Sandhill Cranes migrate north through the Platte River region to nesting grounds. Wildlife watchers were surveyed to understand the extent to which they valued the ecological resources that provided birding opportunities. A mail questionnaire containing scenarios (with a cost attached to each) focused on management programs to preserve the present status of the river, proposed changes in species diversity, and on Sandhill Crane population levels. Birders were willing to bear the cost of resource conservation, particularly those expenses related to efforts to protect Sandhill Cranes and their habitats. Also, crane population declines were viewed as a diminishment in value, and thus lower numbers of cranes would lead to decreased recreational activity. Birders were less supportive of programs to conserve or enhance wildlife diversity. Birders were likely attracted by the wildlife spectacle rather than unusual or unique species. Overall, they valued species diversity less than species abundance.

Estimating agricultural benefits from drainage over a relatively level terrain

Binary choice models are frequently used in the analysis of referendum contingent valuation data. Because omitted regressors, heteroskedasticity, and distribution asymmetry in these models result in inconsistent parameter estimates, it is important that misspecification tests be undertaken. In this article, conditional moment tests for these problems are presented and applied to data from two referendum contingent valuation studies. Results show that some models have misspecification problems and that these problems affect the estimation of welfare measures.

Sturgeon viewing as nature tourism: to what extent do participants value their viewing experiences and the resources upon which they depend?

Contingent valuation methods were used to estimate the net economic benefits of the recreational fishing experience for Atlantic bluefin tuna in Hatteras, North Carolina. We sought to understand anglers’ differential willingness-to-pay (and selected predictor variables) under various management scenarios that were more or less restrictive compared to status quo regulations. A mail survey was sent to anglers intercepted on site. Logistic regression was used to estimate the probability of a “Yes” response to a given set of management conditions and associated management costs (price). Estimates of the current catch management regime were valued from US

Slater, Candace ed. A Review of: “In Search of the Rain Forest.”

344 to

Understanding Differences in Nonmarket Valuation by Angler Specialization Level

707 per year. Management scenarios that restricted angler flexibility (i.e., catch and release), were valued slightly lower than less restrictive catch management scenarios. This article discusses how willingness to pay estimates can be used to understand the relative values for users, recreational and commercial, of the Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery.