ENVIRONMENTAL VALUATION OF CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN A MARINE CONSERVATION UNIT ON THE BRAZILIAN NORTHEAST COAST

Abstract

In this article, a conceptual framework is established to investigate the sense of conservation of visitors in a marine environmental protection area in northeastern Brazil, where cultural and recreational ecosystem services are evaluated, starting from a hypothetical scenario of environmental degradation. For this, associations were used between (i) willingness to pay for nature conservation (ii) level of environmental sense of visitors (iii) direct experience in nature in places of visitation. Where 383 questionnaires were applied that were carried out in three moments, using the technique of the contingent evaluation method (CVM). It is recognized that visitors benefit from their experiences with nature. However, the compensation of monetary value for improvement in nature conservation actions, was seen as positive by visitors, pointing to the possibility of willingness to pay a fee for environmental conservation of cultural ecosystem services.