Estimating Willingness To Pay For Biodiversity Conservation Of Changtang Nature Reserve,Tibet,China

The ChangTang Nature Reserve lies in the core area of the Tibetan Plateau, and its main objects protected are the desert ecosystem and endangered species of wild flora and fauna. As the last refuge of the world, its existence and health not only relate to the interests of the peoples of China, but also the maintenance of global biodiversity. Therefore, the estimation on non-use values of the ChangTang Nature Reserve plays an important role in biodiversity conservation in China and the world. At the same time, the study of desert ecosystem’s biodiversity valuation can enrich the world’s ecosystem services research.From the view of resource and environment, the research discussed the relationships between the value of biodiversity, evaluation methods and selective criteria.Based on the theory of public goods and welfare measurement, select Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) which is the current international popular method on the economic value of ecosystem evaluation, was used to estimate the non-use value of the ChangTang Nature Reserve.1028valid questionnaires were collected and analyzed through method of Payment Card (PC) questionnaire survey in the country’s31provinces (except Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan). Non-zero willingness to pay questionnaire is815, accounting for78.28percent of valid questionnaires.On the basis of survey data, variances about all socio-economic factors of residents were analyed. We established regression model between respondents’socio-economic factors and WTP, including four kinds of models:OLS, Log-normal, Logist, Probit. By AICc index, the optimal model was selected. The results showed that the most significant impact on willingness to pay were income, the level of interest and expertise about bodiversity conservation, and all showed a positive correlation. The average individual’s WTP of the samples was167.6yuan per year, on the basis of employed population in cities and towns of the total population, non-use values of the ChangTang Nature Reserve we estimate about52.157billion yuan, and among them the existence value, bequest value and option value are20.8billion yuan,17.243billion yuan,14.114billion yuan respectively.The assessment of non-use value on biodiversity of desert ecosystem in China is still in the beginning stage. We conducted a case study of ChangTang Nature Reserve. Through field surveys and national investigation combined with web-based survey, we did preliminary exploration on non-use value of biodiversity of desert ecosystem. On the process of data analysis, we innovatively explored AICc criteria to screen model. Based on the valuation results, combined with the current situation of biodiversity of ChangTang Nature Reserve, this study recommended the following things to be done:to enhance the public concern about the ChangTang Nature Reserve; to increase investment and improve the conditions of ChangTang Nature reserve; to implemente the compensation of ecological benefits of ChangTang Nature Reserve effectively; to carry out the public participation-mechanism and expanding financing channels.