VALUES AND ECONOMICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL-MANAGEMENT - A PERSPECTIVE AND CRITIQUE

Several categories of non-market value have been identified for forest s and other natural environments: use value, option value, altruism, b equest value, existence value and intrinsic value. In this paper, we v iew these values from a psychological perspective. Non-market values a rise because natural resources play important roles in furthering huma n goals. This goal perspective contrasts with intrinsic value-the idea that natural objects have value as ends in themselves regardless of t heir relationship to man. Because of the lack of precise definitions, elements of intrinsic value are often mixed with existence value, crea ting confusion in the literature. These resource values need to be exa mined on a logical as well as an empirical basis. We argue that carefu l scrutiny reveals problems with both existence value and intrinsic va lue so that it is important to question their role in policy formation and analysis. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited