The social benefits of increasing protected natural areas: an Eastern Canadian case study using the contingent valuation method.

We examined the sensitivity of social benefits to the amount (scope) of protected natural areas (PNAs) in the Eastern Canadian province of New Brunswick using the contingent valuation method. Household willingness-to-pay responses were elicited under three valuation scenarios: (1) maintaining the existing amount of PNAs at 2 per cent of the provincial land base; (2) increasing the PNAs to 8 per cent of the provincial land base; (3) increasing the PNAs to 14 per cent of the provincial land base. Under these scenarios, mean willingness-to-pay values were estimated at $58.63, $66.57 and $71.29 (CDN) per household per year, respectively. While these mean values initially indicated that social benefits were sensitive to scope, analysis of values within the 95% confidence interval revealed scope insensitivity. The possible sources and implications of these findings are discussed in the context of future benefit–cost analyses associated with PNA policies in the province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]