Monetary valuation methods for economic analysis of the benefit-costs of protecting rare wildlife species from predators

Authors

Richard M. Engeman, USDA-APHIS-Wildlife ServicesFollow
Stephanie A. Schwiff, National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Henry T. Smith, Florida Department of Environmental ProtectionFollow
Bernice Constantin, USDA/APHIS/WS

Date of this Version

January 2003

Abstract

Many threatened and endangered species are negatively impacted by predation. Management of the predators that are geographically and telnporally in position to threaten species of concern can greatly aid in their conservation. However, decisions on managenlent strategies are based within economic constraints, while the success of management actions is measured by wildlife resource improvement. Here, we review methods for applying monetary valuations for threatened and endangered species so that cconoinic analyses of management actions can be used to help guide and evaluate managcmcnt decisions. A variety of applied exa~nplesa re provided to demonstrate the principles.