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Function 2 Construction of small landscape elements on cropland or meadows

Description​

This function estimates the amenity and non-use value for the construction of small landscape elements on cropland or meadow with minor landscape value. Results of a choice experiment among 900 Flemish people show that households are willing to pay for the construction of small landscape elements (KLE), regardless of the type of KLE. Specifically for the repair of sunken roads (all kinds of interventions that return the sunken road to the desired condition), households are willing to pay an additional sum on top of the willingness to pay for small landscape elements in general. Households that are members of a nature or environmental association have partly different preferences than households that are not members of a nature or environmental association. The members make much more of a distinction between the different types of small landscape elements and are also more willing to pay. Both preferences are included in the function.

Required input data:
  • Share of various small landscape elements that are constructed (derived from the land use map).
  • Are extra efforts being made to obtain protected species: if yes, enter 1.
  • Constructed walking/cycling paths: if (extra) walking/cycling paths are being constructed, enter 1. If these are already present and no additional paths are provided, enter 0.
  • List of statistical sectors in a radius of 50 km around the study area (bird's eye view distance between the center of the area and the center of the sector may not exceed 50 km) (automatic in tool).
  • Number of hectares of agricultural area in which the KLE are constructed.

Quantitative and monetary valuation​

Willingness to pay was estimated via a choice experiment. More information can be found in the report “Small landscape elements” in the background documents on the website of the Nature Value Explorer.

Assumptions​

  • The original survey starts from the installation of one type of KLE on cropland. In reality, different types will be constructed simultaneously. The possible added value of this variation in the landscape is not taken into account.
  • The function cannot be combined with other functions for evaluating willingness to pay for cultural services. It is therefore not possible to value the change in amenity and transfer value of a change from an agricultural area with KLE to a nature reserve. What we do know from both surveys is that a conversion of cropland/meadow that is not valuable in the landscape to cropland/meadow with KLE or to a more natural ecosystem is valued in the same order of magnitude.

Functions to use​

Low estimate:

BTB = (0.020 + 0.0039 x repair of sunken road + 0.010 if measures to obtain protected species – 0.00013 x average age if protected species + 0.010 x if walking/cycling paths constructed + 0.0002 x average age + 6.38 x 10-6 x average household income + 0.037 x % members if pool + 0.043 x % members if pollarded trees + 0.05 x % members if wooded + 0.053 x % members if hedges + 0.044 x % members if traditional orchard + 0.043 repair of sunken road + 0.0056 x % members if protected species) x number of hectares of agricultural land on which KLE are constructed - 0.53 x distance from middle sector to middle area (in km).

BTB is greater than or equal to zero (it cannot be negative).

High estimate:

BTB = (0.033 + 0.0055 x repair of sunken road + 0.012 if measures to obtain protected species - 0.000065 x average age if protected species + 0.010 if walking/cycling paths constructed + 0.00044 x average age + 8.75 x 10-6 x average household income + 0.046 x % members if pool + 0.051 x % members if pollarded trees + 0.058 x % members if wooded edge + 0.061 x % members if hedges + 0.052 x % members if traditional orchard + 0.051 x % members if repair of sunken road + 0.0074 x % members if protected species) x number of hectares of agricultural land on which KLE are constructed – 0.39 x distance from center sector to center area (in km).

And BTB is greater than or equal to zero (it cannot be negative).

input2 *: the number of members per sector is not known. We use the average for Flanders here.

  • Distance to statistical sector and parameters per sector: For each sector for which the valuation function gives a positive result, fill in the function with the above parameters and the following specific sector parameters:
    • distance: the distance from the center of the sector to the center of the area in km (bird's eye view or traveling distance if available)
    • average monthly available family income: average for Flanders and this is €3,035 (2010)
    • average adult age (from 18 years): Age does not matter if the species diversity is low and in that case this does not need to be looked up, because then this parameter is set to 0. The average for Flanders is 48 years.
    • % of households that are members of a nature or environmental organization: for Flanders this is an average of 8%.

You can also use the Excel table in the Nature Value Explorer, which contains figures for 2014. You will find these in the background documents at https://natuurwaardeverkenner.be/.

This function will return to the tool in 2023. A map covering Belgium with regard to small landscape elements is missing. You will therefore always have to review the current land use and supplement where there are already KLE.

An example​

For the example, we refer to the Dutch version of the manual.