Project Title: Economic value of cedar relics in Lebanon: An application of contingent valuation method for conservation

Project partner/Funding Agency: The University of Reading; EU-INCO   
    
Principal Faculty Investigator: PDS Caligari (Principal Investigator, U. Reading), S.N. Talhouk (National Principal Investigator)

PhD Student Investigator: E.J.Sattout

Summary

An EU funded partnership between the University of Reading and the American University of Beirut allowed the sponsorship of a collaborative supervision of a PhD student registered at the U. of Reading with one research aim to valuate Lebanese cedar forests by determining perceptual differences in the value of cedar forests between citizens and villagers, users and non-users and to identify sustainable sponsorship approaches as field based information for the conservation of the cedar forests. The methodology adopted included an open-ended questionnaire in conjunction with contingent valuation method. The results obtained in the study suggest that there is a possibility to establish a national trust fund and to integrate symbolic fees on amenity services associated with cedar forests.