CIVICS/Quantitative Research Methods

Stefan Schwarze

University of Goettingen, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Goettingen, Germany

Spring School - Integrative Conservation Planning in the South Caucasus - Tbilisi, March 05-10, 2012

Why do we need economic data for conservation planning?

• Vast expansion of human activity during the last century
  • widespread conversion of natural habitat
  • many species are at risk of extinction

• Large-scale anthropogenic threats to biodiversity, but only limited resources devoted to conservation.

• Where to use the limited resources for conservation?
  • Maximize the conservation return on investment

Two domains for socio-economic assessments in conservation planning:

• Understand the threat to biodiverstiy
  • Why do people change their land use?

• Assess the costs of conservation
  • Which costs occur?

Costs of conservation

Acquisition and transaction costs: Costs involved buying the land

Management costs: Costs for managing the park (staff, vehicles, offices, etc.)

Damage costs: Damages of crops and livestock due to wild animals

Opportunity costs: Potential economic benefits from using the park area for economic activities instead of protecting it

CIVICS