Valuation of the Salini national park

Abstract

This study aims to obtain a monetary value for the benefits achieved from recreation at the Salini National Park in Malta, using the Contingent Valuation approach through a questionnaire administered to people visiting the park. The main objective is to produce a monetary use-value for the park. Other objectives included the assessment of visiting patterns and of the environmental importance assigned to the park. The study seeks to give an insight on the revealed recreational value of consumers, which in this case are the individuals seeking to recreate themselves in an urban forestry setting which offers open areas for general free play and relaxation. The research hypothesis is that individuals who visit Salini Park for recreation are willing to pay a price for visiting the park and that the use of contingent valuation surveys conducted on individuals visiting the park for recreation will elicit a monetary value for the Park. The study actually proposed a value for the park and derives a number of implications from the responses to the questionnaire.