Assessing the Value of Agroecosystem Services in Warmia and Mazury Province Using Choice Experiments

Abstract

Due to the often-intangible benefits of agroecosystem services (AES), their cultural, social, and economic value is very difficult to quantify and integrate into decision-making and policy-making processes. The aim of this study is to assess the non-market values of AES in an exceptionally environmentally rich area of the Warmia and Mazury region (Poland), identifying consumers’ preferences for them using the choice experiment (CE) method. Four AES attributes were selected for the research: (i) water quality; (ii) wildlife populations; and (iii) agricultural landscape. The study has revealed that the residents of Warmia and Mazury region were concerned about environmental issues that may be caused by agriculture. There was a demand for the provision of AES. The application of multinomial logit (MNL) model has revealed that marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) values were the highest for water quality (EUR 1.94), followed by wildlife population (EUR 1.02) and agricultural landscape (EUR 0.85). The findings have provided quantitative information related to the demand for improvements in AES through agri-environmental protection programs.

Keywords

• agroecosystem services
• choice experiments
• preferences
• willingness to pay