conomic valuation of the recreational environmental service in the Valle de Piedras Encimadas, Puebla-Mexico

Abstract

The environment provides welfare to society through different functions that are necessary for the performance of the economy and for the support of life on the planet. But environmental goods are treated as if they were endless. For this reason, the economic valuation of environmental goods and services emerged as a viable technique for the conservation and management of these goods and services. Considering the before exposed, the research research determined the economic value that visitors give to the Piedras Encimadas valley, a place belonging to Camotepec Village in the municipality of Zacatlán in the state of Puebla. The main objective of the investigation was the economic valuation of the recreational environmental service provided on the place already mentioned using the contingent valuation method; The results show that there were 37 protest responses and more than 80% of visitors to the site are willing to pay an entrance fee, the parametric estimation of the willingness to pay was $ 55.50, but it was adopted as a strategy to charge one entrance fee of $ 14 per person. It is concluded   that   the   economic   value   of   the   valley   for   the   recreational environmental services that provides is $ 6, 719,757.30 million pesos per year. Visitors tend to value environmental goods and services in a very low way, even though it was mentioned that these goods and services will be improved.