The Economics of Managing Infectious Wildlife Disease

We use a two-state linear control model to examine the socially optimal management of disease in a valuable wildlife population when diseased animals cannot be harvested selectively. The two control variables are nonselective harvests and supplemental feeding of wildlife, where feeding increases both in situ productivity and disease prevalence. We derive a double singular solution which depends on the initial state and does not require bang-bang controls. The case of bovine tuberculosis among Michigan white-tailed deer is analyzed. In the base model, the disease is optimally maintained at low levels, with intermittent investments (via feeding) in deer productivity.     

文化多样性与野生动物保护的冲突:挪威野狼管理述评

本文介绍了挪威在濒危物种野狼保护中遇到的问题以及政府采取的平衡措施 ,提出了文化多样性与野生动物保护之间的冲突问题     

河北省国有林场森林采伐管理改革意愿分析

以河北省3个典型国有林场为研究对象,采用参与式半结构调查方法,对森林采伐现状和改革意愿进行调查分析表明,现行采伐制度存在着分类管理类型多、审批手续复杂,并且与森林经营方案脱节等问题,森林采伐管理制度已经不能完全适应森林可持续经营要求。政策建议:逐步建立以森林经营方案为核心的森林资源管理制度,强化森林经营方案编制与执行力度。     

Economics of Environmental Management in a Spatially Heterogeneous River Basin

This article examines the allocative efficiency of water quality management activities to protect endangered salmonid species in a heterogeneous watershed in the Pacific Northwest. Using an integrated hydrological, biological, and economic modeling framework, the relative efficiency of alternative policy targets such as temperature reductions and enhanced fish populations is investigated. Results indicate that the heterogeneous nature of riparian conditions and stream morphology influence the choice of management activities. Localized effects of management efforts on temperature are important to achieve small temperature reductions. However, as the desired magnitude of temperature reductions increases, the cumulative (longitudinal) effects become more important, and management efforts in more distant reaches are more efficient than efforts nearer the point of monitoring. Finally, if the underlying objective is to increase fish populations, targeting conservation efforts based on physical criteria such as water temperatures or other total maximum daily load regulations may lead to substantial inefficiencies.     

Targeting Conservation Investments in Heterogeneous Landscapes: A Distance-Function Approach and Application to Watershed Management

To achieve an environmental objective at least cost, decision makers must integrate information about spatially variable biophysical and economic conditions. Although the biophysical attributes that contribute to an environmental outcome are often known, the way in which these attributes interact to produce the outcome is often unknown. We introduce a nonparametric conservation targeting approach that relies on distance functions to cost-efficiently allocate conservation funds. We apply the approach empirically to the case of conservation contracting for water-quality objectives. The contract portfolios derived from the application have many desirable properties, including intuitive appeal and robust performance across plausible parametric scoring measures.     

The Value of Badger Populations and Control of Tuberculosis in Cattle in England and Wales: A Note

This note reports on the results of a choice experiment survey of 400 people in England and Wales, conducted to estimate the value that society places on changes to the size of the badger population. The study was undertaken in the context of the possible need to reduce the badger population by culling to help control bovine tuberculosis in cattle. The study found that people were concerned about the problem of bovine tuberculosis in cattle, which was reflected in their willingness to pay to control the disease, and gave a relatively low value to changes in the size of the badger population (within limits). However, people did not like the idea of a policy that intentionally killed large numbers of badgers and had a relatively very high willingness to pay not to have such a policy.