Calculating Forest Values: Assessing forest recreation value

Introduction

How much recreation potential exists in a forest? Unlike timber valuation, it's virtually impossible to compute a dollar value for forest recreation. How, then, do you go about calculating recreation value in a forest?

Hunting, fishing, bird-watching, hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling are just a few examples of forest recreation activities. It becomes a question of determining what forest conditions best serve particular recreation activities, just as from a timber assessment perspective, you might ascertain what conditions best serve harvest of a variety of timber products.

Large metropolitan areas often abut or even surround forested areas. Typically, though, forest owners make no attempt to promote or develop recreation potential. As metropolitan populations increase, and recreational demands increase, forest owners may want to take a more active role in developing and managing for recreation value.

Location

A small, 1,400 ha woodlot in the Acadian-New England forest region of North America

Time to complete the lab

3 hours

Prerequisites

Students should have a basic working knowledge of GIS data, including use of a geodatabase, and ArcGIS software in particular. Some experience with rasters and the Spatial Analyst extension are also beneficial. The exercise uses ArcScene but on a limited basis. Familiarity with basic forest analysis techniques is important, while familiarity with forest inventory data and terminology is also helpful but not essential.

Data used in this lab

Feature classes and rasters for a forest woodlot (personal geodatabase)

Geographic coordinate system: NAD 1983 CSRS New Brunswick Stereographic

Datum: NAD83

Projection: New Brunswick Double Stereographic Grid (unless otherwise stated)