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In 1994 and 1995, the National Survey on Recreation and the Environment (NSRE) interviewed approximately 17,000 Americans over age 15 in random-digit-dialing telephone samplings. The primary purpose of the project was to learn about the outdoor recreation activities of people over age 15 in the United States. They were asked about their participation in 81 specific recreation activities.

This study has examined the transferability of consumer's surplus estimates (fixed value transfer) and transferability of benefit functions from the Southern Appalachian Mountain ecoregion to a local site within the ecoregional level. Given data used in this study, it is found that transferability of benefit estimated are possible in 50% of the activities, whereas benefit functions can be transferred in all of the activities considered in this study. The results are compared to previous studies. Different problems in testing benefit estimates transfer are discussed.

In 1994 and 1995, the National Survey of Recreation and Environment (NSRE) was accomplished by interviewing approximately 17,000 Americans over age 15 in random-digit-dialing telephone samplings. The primary purpose was to learn about the outdoor recreation activities of people over age 15 in the United States. They were asked about their participation in 62 specific recreation activities.

This paper provides a methodology for the estimation of recreational demand functions and values using an ecoregional approach. Ten ecoregions in the continental US were defined based on similarly functioning ecosystem characters. The individual travel cost method was employed to estimate the recreational demand functions for activities such as motorboating and waterskiing, developed and primative camping, coldwater fishing, sightseeing and pleasure driving, and big game hunting for each ecoregions. Estimates of per trip net income value range from $12.93 to $218.38 while per day estimates range from $4.31 to $109.19. While our ecoregional approach differs conceptually from previous work, our results appear consistent with the previous travel cost method valuation studies. (Missing tables 1,2,3,4,5 and 6)

This study has examined the use of an Object-Oriented GIS framework to generate and analyze spatial data in recreation demand analysis. Several forms of GIS analysis are introduced and explained as how they can be utilized in recreational demand analysis. An application of GIS to calculate journey distance and duration has been illustrated with a case study of camping activities in Cherokee National Forest, North Carolina. The recreation demand models using these travel distance and duration are then compared with the models using respondent's stated values and models using distance data obtained from ZIPFIP software. Based on the criteria such as 2 statistic, individual coefficient significance, it is found out that travel cost functions based on GIS calculated distance and time performed better than the other two functions. The coefficients of travel cost and travel time in the GIS-distance based models are highly significant. Thus, a measurement approach that combines the accuracy of GIS approach with route itinerary information elicited from respondents would provide a significantly superior basis for travel cost studies.

Benefits transfer refers to the use of existing benefit estimates in a different, but similar context as compared to the original study which generated the benefit estimates. Benefits transfer techniques include fixed value transfer, expert opinion, and value estimator models. Although benefits transfer techniques are subject to a number of conceptual and empirical limitations, these techniques are widely applied in the United States in economic assessments of public policies and projects. The application of benefits transfer in natural resource damage assessment cases is relatively untested in the United States court system.

Exotic aquatic plant management is a major concern for public reservoir management in many regions of the United States. A study was conducted to measure the effects of alternative aquatic plant management strategies on recreational expenditures and regional economic activity. The study areas was Lake Guntersville, Alabama, and the local economy surrounding the lake. Lake Guntersville is one of the largest reservoirs in the Tennessee Valley Authority system. Results suggested the relatively moderate levels of aquatic plant control are associated with the highest levels of recreation-related economic effects on the economy surrounding Lake Guntersville.

In this paper, a conceptual model for estimating option price for groundwater quality protection is developed, and the effets of subjective demand and supply uncertainty and other variables on option price are estimated. A contingent valuation study to measure option price for groundwater quality protection was conducted in southwestern Georgia. Valuation results suggest that the monetary benefits to citizens of protecting groundwater supplies from agricultural chemical contamination are quite large.

This paper reports the regional economic impacts of increased recreation visitation from delaying drawdown at four reservoirs in western North Carolina on the six-county area where the reservoirs lie. Visitation and economic indicators were very responsive to water level management policy, especially at reservoirs with the greatest recreation infrastructure development.

The economic impacts of recreational visits to state parks on the economies of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee were estimated using the U.S. Forest Service IMPLAN input-output modeling system. Recreational expenditure data associated with state parks were obtained from the Public Area Recreation Visitors Study (PARVS). Results suggest that recreational spending may stimulate a considerable amount of economic activity in the state economies studied. Hence, future research into the economic development potential of outdoor recreation seems warranted.