Effecting of Moral Preferences on Willingness to Pay for Use of Environmental (Case Study: Shahid Zare Forest, Sari County)

Laeane, Ghasem; Mahmoude, Sajad; Rafiee, Hamed

Effecting of Moral Preferences on Willingness to Pay for Use of Environmental (Case Study: Shahid Zare Forest, Sari County)

Document Type : Original Article

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Abstract

A fundamental assumption in Neo- classical models is that people have utility preferences for market and none market (such as recreation) goods. However, there exist people who feel responsible about protecting the environment. For this group, increasing the environmental quality leads to higher demand for vacation. In this study moral preference of people for Shaid Zare Forest is valuated using Logit qualitative models. For this purpose, 190 questionnaires have been collected using a random sample. The results also show the effecting factors that influence the visitors' interest to pay which are: sex, household head, familiarity with the region and morality which had significant and positive effect. Number of household members, age, distance, and cost of each visit which had a significant and negative effect. It can be concluded from the results of the study that morality will lead to higher comprehension of environment. Based on the results of the study, Deontological people have willing to pay equal to $1.5 per each visit while those who rely on consequences will to pay $1.2 for their visit. Also the annual willingness to pay for using Shahid Zare forest for each deontological person is $2 and it is $1.3 for Cosequentialists. It is suggested that moral responsibility should be supported as a sample for the rest of the society and moral characteristics would be extended and advertised in the society more than before.

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