The travel cost section was aimed at establishing the use value of the forests by finding out how much people had spent travelling to and visiting the area. People who had visited the area on the way to other locations were not counted. Also, people who did not return their questionnaires were assumed not to have visited the area; this meant there was a built-in underestimation of numbers of visits per year by the general population. From the survey results, the RAC extrapolated the numbers to account for the rest of the population in NSW, Victoria and the ACT who were not surveyed. This gave it a figure of approximately 106 000 visits to the area each year. The survey also told it that the average amount spent by each visitor was $34.35 per year, giving a total annual expenditure for 106 000 people of over $3.6 million. Using mathematical modelling, the RAC estimated that people would be willing to spend an extra $8.90 per person per year or $950 000 total per year visiting the area if there was an entrance fee. The RAC does not explain the reasoning it used to get to this figure, but presumably the relationship between travel costs and numbers of visits per year was used. This value of $8.90 per year is then said to be the 'use benefit' of the area. (The money spent travelling may be a measure of the value people put on an area but is not included as part of the net benefits; because if the area was not there they would save the cost of travelling to it.) One problem with using the results of this survey to estimate recreational values for the cost benefit analysis is that it is based on what people have done in the past; it does not tell the researchers what people will do in the future, particularly if the area is logged. Values might change with increased leisure time, greater environmental consciousness, etc. Also, it only considers values that are associated with recreation, and not other values which people might attach to the area, even though they do not visit it. Travel costs survey by Resources Assessment Commission 1 In the last twelve months have you made any trips to, or travelled through, any of the forests shown in dark green, light green or striped on the map? YES ........................ 1 IF YOU HAVE NOT VISITED ANY FORESTS SHOWN ON THE MAP IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 4. OTHERWISE PLEASE CONTINUE. 2 Have you made any trips to, or through, the potential conservation reserves (striped areas) shown on the map during the last 12 months? NO ......................... 1 Please indicate which striped areas you have visited by circling one, or more, numbers below:
IF YOU HAVE NOT VISITED ANY OF THESE POTENTIAL CONSERVATION RESERVES SHOWN ON THE MAP IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 4. OTHERWISE PLEASE CONTINUE. 3 How many trips have you made to, or through, the potential conservation reserves (striped areas on the map) in the last 12 months? _____________ trips 4 Please complete the questions in the box below only if you visited the potential conservation reserves in the last 12 months. These questions ask about your most recent trip to, or through, the potential conservation reserves (shown as striped areas on the map). DETAILS OF YOUR MOST RECENT TRIP TO THE POTENTIAL CONSERVATION RESERVES 5 Including yourself, how many people went on the trip? Adult members of your family living in your household _________________ 6 How did you travel? Own vehicle ....................................... 1 7 Please estimate the total distance travelled from home and return, including travel in the region. __________ km 8 Could you please estimate the total cost of the trip: petrol $ ___________ 9 Which of the following activities did you do while visiting the areas? Please circle all the activities you did on the trip:
10 On how many days did you visit the areas? __________ days 11 How many days were you away from home on the entire trip?_________days 12 Was the main purpose of your trip to the region to visit these areas? YES ............... 1
Source: RAC 1992, Appendix U.  |
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