Title : ‘Adapted’ Habitat Evaluation Procedure and Choice Experiment: substitutes or complements?
Author(s) : Anne Rozan, Nathalie Dumax, Bénédicte Rulleau
Abstract : Originally developed to evaluate the environmental cost of development plans, the “adapted” Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP) seeks to value environmental costs and benefits through a non-monetary metric, the habitat unit. The environmental benefits of creating or restoring a natural area are evaluated on the basis of the number of habitat units equivalent to an mproved supply of ecosystem services. But such a plan may generate other benefits for the inhabitants of nearby towns, recreational benefits for instance. These benefits can be measured by a traditional economic valuation method, such as a choice experiment (CE). We used the “adapted” HEP and a CE on the same study site to test the potential complementarity of the two methods and to identify the potential risks and benefits of such a double valuation.
Key-words : “adapted” habitat evaluation procedure, choice experiment, ecosystem services, Rhine River, wetland restoration.
JEL Classification : Q51, Q57.
