Assessment on the Economic Value of Ecosystem Services in Marine Protected Area: Focusing on Yilan Region in Taiwan

Abstract

Coastal and marine ecosystems deliver critical ecological and economic benefits. This study evaluates ecosystem services from Toucheng and Suao fishery resource conservation zones (FRCZs) within a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Taiwan's Yilan region, using the contingent valuation method (CVM). Public willingness to pay (WTP) for conservation is influenced by factors such as age (AGE), income (INC), environmental organization participation (EPO), perceived conservation importance (IMP), and number of children (CHI), reflecting sustainability awareness. The estimated total economic value (TEV) of ecosystem services is NT$215.40 million (US$6.51 million) annually within the MPA, and NT$1,489.28 million (US$44.98 million) across the Yilan region. We further calculate the economic value (EV) for different ecosystem services (provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural) based on respondents' WTP. The results show provisioning services have the highest EV (26.90%) with NT$891.44 yearly, followed by supporting services (25.39%) with NT$841.73. Regulating services are valued at NT$831.79 (25.10%), while cultural services are the least valued, with NT$748.94 (22.61%). These findings inform strategies for optimizing ecosystem service management in the region. Policymakers may prioritize high-value services, such as provisioning (e.g., sustainable harvesting) and supporting functions (e.g., habitat conservation), in line with public preferences. Concurrently, efforts should address lower-valued services, including regulating and cultural functions, through awareness initiatives or balanced investment across different service types.