Estimating Non- Use Values of Anzali Wetland Using Contingent Valuation Method

In addition to ecological values, wetlands provide many goods and services for local communities. Anzali international wetland has always played the same role, but recently, besides degradations caused by population pressure, construction and operation of different infrastructures and developments in its basin, have caused considerable negative impacts on this precious ecosystem. It is obvious that during such developments, besides getting economic benefits, important environmental values of natural resources are irreversibly reduced or destroyed. Therefore, quantifying different values of wetland to economic figures can help decision makers to compare different scenarios and make the correct decision. Due to the fact that a wetland’s non-use values are less involved in decision making, in this research, contingent valuation method is used to determine them. Econometrics methods and Eviews software is used to estimate the maximum willingness to pay according to the offered price. The maximum willingness to pay for an unlimited period of time which is discounted to present rate has been estimated 8803.92 tomans per year.