Determinants of Public Forest Management Decisions:The Calares Delmundo and Sima Natural Park (SPAIN)

Public authorities should assess what recreational services can be offered citizens visitinga protected natural area. Therefore, the characterisation of visitors as well as the economic valuation of a park’srecreational use would allow the proposal of management strategies to satisfy visitors. For this purpose, 410 surveys were taken of visitors to the CalaresdelMundoandSimaNatural Park (Spain). The results showed two segments of visitors. The first segment is better informed about topics related to the environment and has a higher educational level and higher monthly family income. However, they are willing to pay less to enter the park (3.70€). Meanwhile the visitors from the second segment are more conscientious about environmental problems andare familiar with other natural areas.They are willing to pay more for park entrance (4.61€), even though they have lower incomes, because they value the scenic beauty of the park and particularly, the singularity of the waterfall and the source of the Mundo River.