Estimation of Willingness to Pay for Conservation of Zarivar Wetland, Iran: A Contingent Valuation Approach

The purpose of this study was to estimate the most important non-market values of the ZW. A survey questionnaire based on Single-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation approach was utilized in order to elicit Willingness to Pay (WTP) for the ZW conservation. The study was conducted in Kurdistan province in Iran. Three hundred and thirty respondents were willing to pay for conservation of the ZW. The mean WTP was estimated at RLs 275,010.7 annually per household. Considering the whole number of households in the study area which was 164,483 in 2012, the mean WTP for the study area was calculated to be RLs 45,234,593,192.25 annually. The relationships between various explanatory factors and WTP were discovered by applying the Logit model. ‘Bid’ and ‘age’ variables were statistically significant and had a negative effect on the respondents’ WTP. In addition, ‘income’, ‘membership in NGOs’ and ‘number of household’ variables were statistically significant and had a positive effect on WTP. The results can be used to build local and political support for conservation and sustainable use of the ZW and can convince policy makers and site managers to bring more financial support and better policy program to the ZW preservation.