Shaping the future of temperate forests in Europe: why outdoor recreation matters

Abstract Forests play a fundamental role in the economy, in climate change mitigation and in halting the loss of biodiversity. The economic value of goods and services provided to the societies by forests, including forest-based recreation, is highly dependent on the way in which forests are managed. On a European scale, forests are diverse and managed in many ways. Yet there has been no large-scale assessment to date of the economic value of forests recreation across Europe. In this paper we systematically apply stated and revealed preference-based valuation methods to investigate public preferences for forest visits in ten European countries (Austria, Belarus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Scotland, Switzerland). We observe substantial recreational value measured by the consumer surplus ranging from €55 to €648 per person per year (PPP adjusted, 2017). Compared to the gross value added of forestry and timber production, gross recreational benefits are, except for Belarus, on par or larger. Additionally, we find that forests of particular characteristics – more complex forest structures and forests with taller and older trees – are preferred and generate higher recreational values. These results provide a robust basis for evaluating the societal consequences of future forest management policies in Europe and the design of its forest landscapes.