THE NON-TIMBER VALUE OF NORTHERN SWEDISH FORESTS - AN ECONOMIC-ANALYSIS

For the forests in the county of Vasterbotten in northern Sweden, this study attempts to quantify the non-timber value arisen from on-site c onsumptive use (berry- and mushroom-picking), on-site non-consumptive use (hiking, camping, etc.), and off-site visual experience. The conti ngent valuation method (CVM) was applied in a mail survey for obtainin g empirical data. A follow-up survey was also conducted in order to ge t knowledge about the representativeness of the respondents to the CVM survey. The results indicated that the non-timber value accounted for a considerable portion of the total forest value. On-site consumptive use was more valuable to rural people than to urban, while on-site no n-consumptive use was more valuable to urban people. Taken together, t hese on-site use values-which to a large extent depend on the Right of Common Access-accounted for two-thirds of the non-timber value. The v alue of the off-site visual experience thus accounted for one-third of the non-timber value.