Evaluation of the Non-Use Value of Recreational Resources in Urban Parks: A Case Study of Xuanwu Lake Park, Nanjing
城市公园游憩资源非使用价值评估——以南京市玄武湖公园为例

Urban parks are often the main natural landscape, a key place for residents and visitors, and have important ecological, economic and social benefits. However, as cities grow, landscape planning and design commercializes, and recreational activity increases, urban parks are encroached upon and sometimes destroyed. This is mainly allowed to happen because public consciousness of resources and environmental protection is low. The economic development value of recreational resources is often emphasized, but the non-use value of recreational resources is neglected so that the total value of recreational resources is underestimated. The park of Xuanwu Lake in Nanjing is an example we profile in this paper. The non-use value of the recreational resources was researched quantitatively by adopting the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) and an investigation of the willingness of tourists to pay (WTP). Four hundred payment card CVM questionnaires were surveyed and 369 were returned. Distribution shape and rule of willingness to pay were probed. We found that most visitors (62.1%) have a willingness to pay the non-use value of the recreational resources at Xuanwu Lake Park. The total non-use value of this recreational resource was 473×106 Yuan in 2011, the existence value is 307×106 Yuan per year, the bequest value is 88×106 Yuan per year and the option value is 79×106 Yuan per year. The relationship between population features and WTP shows that educational level and age are significantly correlated with WTP; however, gender, guest source area, monthly income, tourist understanding about Xuanwu Lake park, and other factors were not correlated with WTP. Monthly income is obviously correlated with the value of WTP, though other factors are not. This study promotes visitor cognition of the recreational resource value of urban parks, strengthens their awareness of environmental protection, and provides a scientific basis for related organizations to plan, manage and protect urban parks. As economic conditions continue to improve in China and environmental awareness grows, the willingness to pay for recreational resources will increase.