Quantifying the aesthetic benefits of urban forestry
Journal, Research (Article)
Discusses the methods for valuing non-market benefits and costs as they are applied to the aesthetic values of urban trees. Compares "expert" and "hedonic" approaches to evaluation of aesthetic value of urban trees. [UMN]
"All the usual methods for valuing non-market benefits and costs may be applied to the aesthetic values of urban trees. However, evaluation has most usually been undertaken by one of two apparently dissimilar methods. The expert approach uses a mixture of measurement and judgement. Different versions of the approach have different quantitative input, produce divergent results, and theoretical justifications of their cash value are lacking. The hedonic approach attempts to derive cash values from house prices. Here too problems of quantification arise, in choice of appropriate variables, in the form of relationships and in interaction of variables. An approach using the human eyes ability to synthesise disparate variables may overcome these problems, but there remain problems of collinearity between environmental and demographic variables. At least explicit recognition of judgement in the process allows open discussion of these problems." [Abstract]
C. Price
2003
Urban Forestry and Urban Greening
Urban & Fischer, Elsevier GmbH
Jena (DEU)
1618-8667
1//3
123
133
Economics/Cost-Benefit Analysis, Modeling (economic), Aesthetics
National
Leaf characteristics, Real estate
UMN