Question

Suppose you see two estimates of the benefits of limiting timber harvest to preserve the population of black bears. One is a stated preference study valuing an increase in bear populations. The other is a travel cost estimate based on people visiting the area for viewing bears. In a short paragraph: What are the strengths and limitations of each? Which would you prefer to use in a benefit-cost analysis? Can they be added together, why or why not?

Answer 1

Black undergo numbers have elevated extensively in Pennsylvania, from around four,000 in the Seventies to around 18,000 today. A dramatic development has provided more possibilities for individuals to peer bears, which is an experience many treasure, and bear searching has largely increased.

At present, practically thrice as many hunters are harvesting bears - with extensively much less travel required to arrive them - than 30 years ago. In 2004, hunters took 2,972 bears from fifty three counties. Then, in 2011, a file harvest of four,350 bears took place, which remains at present the largest kill on file. In 2014, three,366 bears had been harvested in 56 counties. The seven high harvests all have befell considering 2005.

This expand in bear numbers and variety, however, has additionally brought an develop in conflicts with bears. Property injury, the possibility of serious human harm, personnel assets inside the sport commission who respond to conflicts, and public tolerance for extra growth of the bear populace all were impacted by the expand in bears.

Nuisance undergo conflicts have extended extra dramatically in the northeast than anyplace else within the state. Within the late 1990s, employees participants within the 13 counties that compose the company's Northeast vicinity were responding to about 600 bear complaints yearly. In 2000, bear complaints in the vicinity climbed to 813; the following year they surpassed 1,000; and in 2002 they numbered greater than 1,a hundred.

A few initiatives were carried out to support deal with this pattern. For instance: in 2003 a law was once handed that makes it unlawful to feed bears; a statewide database for documenting human-bear conflicts is now in place; and emphasis has been put on educational efforts to exhibit men and women find out how to coexist with bears. Sooner or later, to scale back endure numbers, starting in 2002, bear hunting season in pick areas of the state has been lengthened to include the first week of firearms deer season.

In 2002, this extended season came about in Pike, Monroe and Carbon counties. Due to the fact then, the area integrated in the accelerated season has regularly increased and now entails thirteen wildlife administration models.

Depending on the year, the endure harvest has extended 20 to 80 percentage in areas open to improved hunting. In 2002, 443 bears were taken from the Pike-Monroe-Carbon county discipline. The equal area often noticed a harvest of 265 bears per 12 months, when the season lasted best three days. In 2004, approximately 1,000 bears were harvested in the 6,600 rectangular miles open to extended hunting - an discipline where often 547 bears were harvested per year earlier than 2002. At present, harvest for the duration of the improved season money owed for 30 to forty percent of the total harvest in those areas.

Despite the fact that harvest has generally improved, it has remained within desirable limits. Agency personnel seize and eartag 800 or extra bears annually, of which 20 percent aer typically harvested in the basic season. The percentage being eliminated in areas with additional searching possibility has ranged from 23 to 25 percentage, which is a rate that's believed to be riskless in some bear populations.

Nevertheless, the quantity of hunters taking capabilities of this increased season is growing, so we will be able to continue to carefully display the undergo population and annual harvests. A report quantity of undergo licenses were sold in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

The improved season is meant to minimize bears the place conflicts have greatly expanded. But human-undergo conflicts would possibly not cut down instantly on account that nuisance undergo pastime is also influenced by way of normal food conditions, dispersal of younger, human population traits, and suburban enlargement. It usually is a number of years earlier than we can interpret a relationship between improved harvest and nuisance undertaking.