Research

​​Submitted - Bridging Policy and Practice: Stakeholder Perspectives on Wildfire Policy in Southern France

with Imma Oliveras Menor (IRD France, U Oxford) & Sergio de Miguel (U Lleida)

Fires are a natural disturbance in the Mediterranean landscape. Nevertheless, climate change, with increased droughts periods and higher temperatures, coupled with anthropogenic activities, increases the number of extreme wildfires (i.e. large and hard to control), which provokes social and ecological risks. France had an unusual extreme wildfire season in 2022, concerning regions where it does not usually occur. As a response, a new policy “reinforcing the prevention and fight against the intensification of wildfire risks” was adopted in 2023. Though policies are adopted nationally, most activities happen in lower level administrative scales. Thus, to forecast the policy implementation success, it is crucial to understand stakeholders’ views at these levels. Through 19 interviews, we analyse stakeholder’s — from forest managers to urban planners — reaction and perception of the overall policy effectiveness and the newly adopted policy. Results show that, while there is a common agreement that a new policy was indeed needed and much appreciated, there is a shared struggle on its implementation. Struggles are related to a) fuel management, constrained by a fragmented forest ownership and lack of private forest management interest; b) reduced financial and human resources, and; 3) a slow, but developing coordination and wildfire risk awareness among stakeholders, with open environment for collaborations. As wildfire risk increases and expands to new locations, more stakeholders will be involved and solutions will need a more collaborative approach for policymaking design and implementation, both from policymakers and practitioners. 

​​Reviewing Stage - Economic Valuation of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park Using the Travel Cost Method 

with Manuella de Rezende Alvares (University of Brasília), Humberto Angelo (UnB), Alexandre Nascimento de Almeida (UnB) & others 

The Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park (PNCV), located in the Cerrado biome in Goiás, is a fully protected Conservation Unit facing challenges to its preservation. Aiming to estimate and compare the economic values ​​attributed to the PNCV, facilitating the adoption of conservation measures, a method widely used in environmental valuation studies was employed: the Travel Cost Method (TCM). This method allows for the estimation and comparison of the economic values ​​attributed to the PNCV, facilitating the adoption of conservation measures. Data collection occurred through questionnaires randomly applied to park visitors in July 2023. In the case of the TCM, specifically in the zonal approach, the determinants of demand for recreation in the park were identified using a Log-Log model. Furthermore, the economic value of recreational use of the PNCV and consumer surplus were estimated using the Log-Log demand function, in addition to calculating the price-demand and income-demand elasticity for visits to the park. Data collection was carried out through questionnaires randomly administered to park visitors in July 2023. This study concluded that the economic value of recreational use was R$ 3.85 billion per year, with a consumer surplus of R$ 604.87 per visit. The analysis also showed that the demand for recreation is inelastic with respect to price and that the income-demand elasticity indicates that the PNCV (Parque Nacional da Cidade de Vale do Paraíba) is considered a normal good. Regarding the significance of the coefficients estimated by the log-log model, the variable "Average Travel Cost" was significant. These results are consistent with each other and with studies of other Conservation Units in Brazil, providing important contributions to the formulation of public policies and management strategies focused on the preservation of the park.