ABSTRACT
In today’s globalizing economy, it is important to attempt to understand and document the full value of forest resources. Transformation of forest resources into marketable products (with prices) may not be the highest and best use of trees and other forest resources. This is particularly true in the developing world where these resources directly support rural livelihoods or form an integral component of unique cultures. Without the ability to compare market and non-market values, however, we are not able to determine whether resources are allocated to their highest valued use in specific local contexts.
