Pacific Northwest Research Station

Title: The Economic Benefits of Elk Viewing at the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area in Oregon

Author: Donovan, Geoffrey; Champ, Patricia

Date: 2009

Source: Human Dimensions of Wildlife. 14: 51-60

Description: In this study, a travel cost model is used to estimate the value of elk viewing at the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area in Oregon. Jewell Meadows was originally established to provide winter browse and supplemental feeding for elk to reduce damage to nearby agricultural and forest land. However, because visitors are virtually guaranteed the opportunity to see large numbers of elk at close range, Jewell Meadows has also become a popular wildlife viewing site. We estimated total access value for the 2007 winter feeding season to be $6.5 million, which exceeds Jewell Meadows' annual operating budget of approximately $200,000. Results suggest that visitors highly value the assured wildlife viewing that Jewell Meadows offers.

Keywords: Travel cost, elk viewing

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Citation

Donovan, Geoffrey; Champ, Patricia  2009.  The Economic Benefits of Elk Viewing at the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area in Oregon.   Human Dimensions of Wildlife. 14: 51-60.