Nikola Jovanovic’s thesis defense

Event details :

Thesis title: Valuation of Ecosystem Services in Protected Natural Areas in Serbia: Applying Non-Market Methods for Valuation

The jury is composed of:

• Mr Serge Garcia, Research Director, INRAE, BETA, Nancy – Thesis supervisor
• M. Jens Abildtrup, Research Fellow, INRAE, BETA, Nancy – Thesis Co-supervisor
• Mme. Jeana Dachary-Bernard, Research Fellow, INRAE, Bordeaux – Rapporteur
• M. Pierre-Alexandre Mahieu, Senior Lecturer, University of Nantes, Nantes – Rapporteur
• Mme. Tina Rambonilaza, Tina Rambonilaza, Research Director, INRAE, CESAER, Dijon – Examiner
• M. Olivier Beaumais, Professor, University of Rouen, Rouen – Examiner
• Mme Ljiljana Keča, Full Professor, Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade – Guest speaker

Abstract: Valuing ecosystem services (ES) helps assess both market and non-market economic values, influencing decisions by showing the social costs and benefits ecosystems provide. This can lead to sustainable natural resource management. Protected Areas (PAs) aim to conserve biodiversity, but sustainable funding is essential. Three methods to valorize ES in Serbian PAs were applied in the thesis. The first chapter models PA management as joint production (biodiversity, recreation, timber) using cost function analysis from 57 Serbian PAs. The second chapter applies a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) to understand public preferences for PA management, including rewilding and timber use, estimating their willingness to pay (WTP) for improvements. The third chapter uses the Travel Cost Method to estimate the recreational value of PAs. Comparisons across methods show demand values for ES exceed supply, highlighting a chance to enhance PA financing by collecting and distributing the total demand values.