How much value is derived from wildlife observation like birding? The nonconsumptive use value of wildlife is notoriously difficult to pin down yet is a major contributor to the overall value of species conservation. The recreational value of rare species is a critical input to cost-benefit analysis. Using data from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s citizen science website eBird, Wardle shows that the taxonomic species split of the Cassia crossbill markedly increased visitation among birders to the Cassia crossbill's habitat region. He calculated the change in consumer surplus arising from the split to arive at a well-identified estimate of the recreational value of this rare bird species. Read the full paper in the Journal of the Association of Environmental & Resource Economists.
September 23, 2025