Public Support for Land Preferences: Measuring Relative Preferences in Delaware
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Date
2002-02
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Food and Resource Economics
Abstract
Public preferences for nonmarket services of preserved land in
Delaware are measured using two survey techniques. The results
of a conjoint experiment, using a sample of 199 Delawareans,
suggest that the environmental and agricultural attributes of
preserved land are most important to the residents. The conjoint
results also suggest that these services are of substantial value to
Delawareans; at the margin, at least, agricultural and
environmental preserved land provide net benefits to the public.
The analytic hierarchy process is used to assess separate survey
results from 129 Delawareans. The results provide specific
weights on the relative importance of attributes and qualities of
preserved land, which in large part replicate and reinforce the
results of the conjoint experiment. Overall, Delawareans seem to
be most concerned with keeping farming as a way of life, having
access to locally grown agricultural commodities, protecting water
quality, and preserving rural character.
Description
Keywords
Purchase of development rights, Purchase of agricultural conservation easements, Nonmarket values, Analytic hierarchy process, Conjoint analysis