The Benefit Assessment of Ecoindustry in Taiwan's Community Forestry

Abstract

Based on the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), this study builds the theoretical and empirical models to evaluate the indirect benefits of Ecoindustry in Taiwan’s community forestry. These models are used to analyze the effects of related factors, such as Ecosystem Conservation (EC), Environmental Protection (EP), and Cultural Heritage Preservation (CHP), on the Willingness-To-Pay (WTP). Then, they are applied to different stages of community participations and different programs of community forestry.The results show that: (1) the higher income of the residents, the higher WTP for EC, EP and CHP. Furthermore, the longer the residents live in the community, the higher WTP for EC and EP; (2) residents who know better about "ecological features and animal and plant resources" and "environmental resources and characteristics" have higher WTP for EC and EP; (3) residents who had participated in the 1st stage community forestry project had higher WTP for EC, EP and CHP compared to those who only have participated in the 2nd stage community forestry project; (4) residents who had applied for different programs have different levels of WTP. For example, those who applied for Forestry Protection Program have higher WTP compared to those who applied for Natural Resource and Forestry Recreation Program.

本研究依據條件評估法（Contingent Valuation Method, CVM）建構評估「社區林業生態產業之間接效益」的理論與實證模型，以分析影響各項間接效益之願付價值的相關因素，據此探討不同「社區參與階段」及「社區補助類別」在各項間接效益的差異。結果顯示：（1） 所得較高的受訪居民對社區生態產業的生態維護、環境保育及文化資產保存有較高願付價值，在該社區居住時間較長及有參與社區林業計畫的受訪民眾，對生態維護與環境保育的願付價值亦較高；（2） 瞭解社區「生態特性及動植物資源」與「環境資源及特色」的受訪民眾，在生態維護與環境保育的願付價值較高；（3） 參與第一階段社區林業計畫的社區民眾，對生態維護、環境保育及文化資產保存等三項間接效益的願付價值均高於第二階段社區參與者；（4）「不同補助類別」的社區受訪民眾，在三項間接效益的願付價值亦呈現顯著差異，申請「森林保護」補助項目者願付價值明顯高於申請「自然資源調查」與「森林育樂」的受訪社區民眾。