ABSTRACT

In our analysis (in the preceding chapter) of the relation between forest practices and the value of deer-hunting sites, some extensive measures were undertaken to obtain data relevant to the problem, and econometric expertise was required to carry out the study. But persons in management positions on a national forest can justifiably point out that the working complement on a forest is composed of persons who have the kinds of skills needed to manage the land under their charge and are not likely to have the capability for carrying out sophisticated research. It is practical to ask whether accumulated research may suggest ways of estimating the value of forest recreation for planning purposes that do not require sophisticated research techniques. The issue is not whether such estimates meet the criteria of scientific discovery, but rather whether they provide advances over ad hoc techniques that are widely applied in forest planning.