Estimating the Willingness to Pay for Improvement of an Urban Park in Southern Brazil Using the Contingent Valuation Method.

Urban green spaces play a key role in the improvement of environmental quality, livability, and sustainability of towns and cities. The aim of this paper is to elicit the willingness of the population of Passo Fundo, a town in southern Brazil, to pay for improvements, maintenance, and conservation of a park situated in the Cidade Universitária (University Campus) subdivision. After the preliminary description of the current situation of the park, a scenario was defined for environmental valuation offered by proposed improvements according to different experts in urban and environmental planning. A total of 338 households in the urban area of Passo Fundo were surveyed through the application of a questionnaire and by the contingent valuation method. An economic value between R$964,560.00 (US$550,547.94) and R$2,531,970.00 (US$1,445,188.35) was obtained for the improvement, maintenance, and conservation of the park. Also, a relationship was observed between the socioeconomic characteristics of the population and willingness to pay. The analysis of economic viability for the investments in this park showed a positive net present value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]