Application of a Paired Comparison method to Evaluate Forest Public Service Values

In this study, a paired-comparison method for which we designed an internet questionnaire was applied to evaluate relative monetary values for forest public goods and services which have no defined market value or no known monetary value. Through a series of interactive paired comparisons for a given set of elements, which were mixtures of forest public goods and services, private goods possessing market value, and sums of money, the importance levels and preferences were ranked and the relative monetary values were evaluated. The results indicated that the preferences for forest public goods and services from high to low were ranked as water resource maintenance, soil stabilization and land erosion control, biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and ecotourism offerings. The relative monetary values of water resource maintenance and soil stabilization and land erosion control were both higher than the compared private goods, but not higher than the some sums of real money. The preferences appeared to be influenced by individual age, educational level, and personal income.