Project Number: WVA00364
CRIS Number: 0161658
Multi-State Project: W-133
BENEFITS AND COSTS OF RESOURCE POLICIES AFFECTING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LAND
Investigators: Fletcher, J. J., Phipps, T. T., Rosenberger, R. A.
Performing Department: Resource Management -- 8485
Start Date: 10/01/1997
Termination Date: 09/30/2002
Reporting period: 01/01/2001 to 12/31/2001
Progress Report:
All WVU contributors continued to work with representatives from state and federal natural resource agencies to develop value estimates for stream and watershed restoration efforts. Alan Collins worked with the project contributors to obtain a NRI seed grant for a pilot project to develop an electronic survey to measure people's values for restoring streams in West Virginia. The project will develop estimates of changes in stream use and non-use values that result from restoration efforts using contingent valuation methods based on a multi-attribute choice experiment approach. Rosenberger in working with non-market valuation techniques to investigate and extend the state-of-the-art related to estimating the value received by recreation users of the National Forests. He is also working to extend the application of a method of paired comparison for measuring economic values for public goods. Rosenberger is also extending the state-of-the-art in benefit transfer methods through the development of a site correspondence model and meta-regression analysis techniques. All contributors are also working on modeling the effects of growth on land uses in the Eastern Panhandle Region of West Virginia. Rosenberger is also investigating the impacts of wilderness and other protected natural areas on the economies of rural Appalachian communities. Fletcher has continued to extend the Watershed Characterization and Modeling System (WCMS) with additional components for watershed management. A version for western Maryland has been added and is in use.
Publications:
Fletcher, J.J., J.A. Fuller, and T.T. Phipps. 2001. Watershed Economics: A Guide to Watershed Management, Report to the US Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory. October 24.
Fletcher, J.J., Qingyun Sun, and M.P. Strager. 2001. "Using GIS to Model Stream Water Quality and Acid Loading in West Virginia," in Computer Applications in the Mineral Industries, Xie Heping, Yuehan Wang, and Yaodong Jiang, Eds., A.A. Balkema, The Netherlands, pp 773-778.
Fletcher, J. J., Qingyun Sun, and M.P. Strager. 2001. "GIS Application for Stream Water Management in West Virginia," Proceedings of the International Conferences on Info-tech & Info-net (ICII), Oct. 29-Nov.1, Beijing, China.
Fletcher, J. J. (organizer). 2001. Proceedings of W-133 Conference 2001 - Fourteenth Interim Report. Western Regional Research Publication, Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences, West Virginia University. October, 319 p.
Rosenberger, R. S. and J.B. Loomis. 2001. Benefit Transfer of Outdoor Recreation Use Values: A Technical Document Supporting the Forest Service Strategic Plan (2000 Revisions). General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-72, Fort Collins, CO: Rocky Mountain Research Station. 59p.
Strager, M.P. and J.J. Fletcher. 2001. "An Interdisciplinary Approach to Watershed Analysis with GIS: The Watershed Characterization and Modeling System," Proceedings of the Integrated Decision-making for Watershed Management Symposium, Chevy Chase, MD, January 7-9.
Strager, M., P. Claggett, E. Clifton, J. Fletcher, P. Kinder, D. Kemlage, R. Pomponio, T. Schroeder, M. Sherald, J. Strager and C. Yuill. 2001. "Landscape Assessment Tools: Integrating Science and Data for Decision Support," Proceedings of the ESRI Users Conference, San Diego, CA, July.
Impact:
A public meeting on land use and sprawl issues held at Shepherd College in January, 2001, attracted over 200 local residents. The meeting provided information for counties in the Easter Panhandle of West Virginia to better understand the impacts of growth on the economy and the local environment. State agencies in West Virginia continue to use the Watershed Characterization and Modeling System to support permit analysis, sampling plans, hydrologic assessments, abandoned mine project management, and animal waste management. The model is being adopted by the Maryland Bureau of Mines for use in counties in western Maryland as well.