Linda J. Cox

Assessing Consumer Willingness to Pay for Value-Added Blueberry Products Using a Payment Card Survey

This study offers insights on consumer acceptance and willingness to pay for three value-added blueberry products. A modified payment card approach was used. The analytical framework adopted allows the researcher to attach straightforward economic interpretation to the estimated impacts of willingness to pay factors. Results show consumer socio-economic characteristics are important determinants but play different roles depending on the products. Information on health benefits may also be important. However, it is found that outside information or consumer self-stated awareness of blueberries’ health benefits have different impacts. These impacts may function as substitutes rather than complements to each other.

Costs and benefits of trap-neuter-release and euthanasia for removal of urban cats in Oahu, Hawaii.

Our goal was to determine whether it is more cost-effective to control feral cat abundance with trap-neuter-release programs or trap and euthanize programs. Using STELLA 7, systems modeling software, we modeled changes over 30 years in abundance of cats in a feral colony in response to each management method and the costs and benefits associated with each method . We included costs associated with providing food, veterinary care, and microchips to the colony cats and the cost of euthanasia, wages, and trapping equipment in the model. Due to a lack of data on predation rates and disease transmission by feral cats the only benefits incorporated into the analyses were reduced predation on Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus). When no additional domestic cats were abandoned by owners and the trap and euthanize program removed 30,000 cats in the first year, the colony was extirpated in at least 75% of model simulations within the second year. It took 30 years for trap-neuter-release to extirpate the colony. When the cat population was supplemented with 10% of the initial population size per year, the colony returned to carrying capacity within 6 years and the trap and euthanize program had to be repeated, whereas trap-neuter-release never reduced the number of cats to near zero within the 30-year time frame of the model. The abandonment of domestic cats reduced the cost effectiveness of both trap-neuter-release and trap and euthanize. Trap-neuter-release was approximately twice as expensive to implement as a trap and euthanize program. Results of sensitivity analyses suggested trap-neuter-release programs that employ volunteers are still less cost-effective than trap and euthanize programs that employ paid professionals and that trap-neuter-release was only effective when the total number of colony cats in an area was below 1000. Reducing the rate of abandonment of domestic cats appears to be a more effective solution for reducing the abundance of feral cats.

Ecosystem Services from Smallholder Forestry and Agroforestry in the Tropics

Smallholder forestry and agroforestry systems in the tropics provide essential products and services for millions of producers, their surrounding communities, national and international consumers, and global society. The diversity of products provided by these systems meet the needs of smallholder producers for fuelwood, food, animal fodder, and other household and farm needs; they provide additional income to supplement major commodity crops; and they offer flexibility in production and income to buffer against falling commodity prices, crop failure, or other sources of financial or economic difficulty. The sustainability of these systems is increasingly dependent upon sources of income beyond the sale of conventional products, such as price premiums from sustainability certification and agro- and ecotourism. Payments for ecosystem services (PES) programs have been developed at multiple levels to provide incentives for smallholders to conserve and enhance tree cover and management practices to provide ecosystem services such as watershed protection and carbon sequestration. Ecotourism provides an enterprise-based strategy to engage producers in conservation and enhancement of these services. This review evaluates the ability of smallholder systems to support the provision of ecosystem services (ES) and the capacity of smallholders to participate in support programs and take advantage of other emerging opportunities to support smallholder enterprises.

Hotel investment in open area

Abstract Environmental open space is difficult to define and value. This paper estimates the rate of return on hotels’ investment in open area for three locations in the State of Hawaii, United States. The marginal revenue for open area investment is estimated using a hedonic analysis of hotel room prices. The marginal cost of open area investment is adapted from secondary data. The study reports on estimated return rates, which in two locations are consistent with previous research and with the risk levels faced by hotels/resorts in Hawaii. The lower rate of the third location appears to be the result of inaccurate expectations about changing land values.

Water Consumption by the Visitor Industry: The Case of Hawaii

The visitor industry plays a pivotal role in Hawaiis economy, accounting for 30% of the gross state product. It is an important consumer of the states freshwater supply, with a clear potential for substantial additional demand in the years ahead. Water consumption in hotels and golf courses that cater to the needs of the visitor was analysed. Regression analysis showed that size and price were important determinants of water use by golf courses. The numbers of units, swimming pools and golf courses were found to be statistically significant determinants in water consumption by the hotels. Pricing could be an effective instrument in efficient water allocation to golf courses. A small change in price, however, is unlikely to make a major impact on water use decisions by the resorts and hotels.

Quantifying household social resilience: a place-based approach in a rapidly transforming community

In an era of ecological degradation, global climate change, demographic shifts and increasing intensity and frequency of natural hazards, the Pacific Islands including the State of Hawai‘i face heightened risk. Human and environmental well-being are tightly coupled; thus, science-based solutions must marry place-based, culturally relevant processes that link disaster preparedness, relief and recovery with resilience theories and applications. However, these fields remain mired in epistemological silos, and the operationalization of these theories has been slow, particularly at the community level. This paper explores the challenges of bridging these intersecting fields and the application of theory to practice, through a community-based case study in Hanalei, Hawai‘i. We deployed household surveys, key informant interviews and traditional talk-story sessions to gather baseline information on demographic and socio-ecological transformations, perceptions of risk and preparedness, and coping and adaptive capacity measures. Results showed that residents exhibit medium-to-high coping and adaptive capacities, while visitors present high vulnerability and dependence upon locals. Social resilience metrics highlight differential coping and adaptive capacities among households with varying characteristics (e.g., sex of head of household, longevity of residence and household size) offering risk reduction targets. A gap analysis developed from a qualitative analysis of open-ended survey questions highlights key sectors, areas and populations with perceived gaps in preparedness and resilience, coupled with ideas for solutions centered around local capacity building and improved knowledge and awareness. Community-based assessments underpin the development of long-term disaster resilience planning initiatives and to addressing gaps in vulnerable sectors and populations.

Values for Recreational Beach Quality in Oahu, Hawaii

ABSTRACT Pristine coastal environments are the key to Hawaiis worldwide fame and attraction to tourists, yet their economic value remains understudied. This article examines preferences for characteristics associated with beach recreation in Oahu, Hawaii, among residents and tourists. Consideration is given to sand quality, water quality, congestion levels, and swimming safety conditions in the context of a choice experiment. The choice experiment conveys attribute levels almost entirely through pictures, and results suggest that this novel portrayal is well understood by respondents. Excessive congestion and water quality are regarded as the most important beach attributes, specifically the avoidance of poor water quality in favor of a chance to experience excellent water quality. Some evidence suggests that significantly different willingness to pay (WTP) exists among residents and tourists on Oahu with poor water quality and excellent water quality being more important to tourists, while residents place greater value on avoiding excessive congestion. JEL Codes: Q25, Q26.

Representations of ecotourism in the Hawaiian Islands: a content analysis of local media

The tourism sector’s dominant presence in the State of Hawai‘i generates consistent media coverage. Representations of the tourist industry are, therefore, of interest as a measure of trends in public discourse. The tourism sector appears to be interested in expanding the opportunities for ecotourism because this market has economic potential, but given the reality of native habitat, species decline, and increasing community sensitivities to tourism development, the role is still marginal despite the rhetoric of support from the industry and State agencies. This paper contributes to the goal of more broadly understanding the current role of ecotourism in communities across the State by presenting an archive search of 82 media reports from five islands dated from 1990 to 2008. The challenges that ecotourism will face in the future are identified and strategies for dealing with these challenges are outlined.

Landscape services: An urban agricultural sector

Landscape services employment has grown significantly in the USA over the last 20 years in contrast to the continuing decline in employment in production agriculture. However, tracking growth in landscape services is complicated by the lack of data and outdated or inappropriate classification systems. This article establishes basic definitions and reviews existing national data on landscape services. Based on this review and experience collecting data on landscape services in Hawaii, recommendations are made for changing Standard Industrial and Occupational Classification systems to enable better future analysis.

The economics of biomass energy: a case study from Hawaii.

Abstract The thesis that the cost-effective conversion of Hawaiis biomass sources to electricity can be best accomplished by a central power plant is developed and empirically tested using a multiperiod linear programming model. The results also suggest that it is cheaper to produce electric power from a biomass-fueled plant than from a fuel oil-based facility.