Are residents willing to pay for their community forests? Results of a contingent valuation survey in Missouri, USA

Residents of 44 communities in Missouri were surveyed about community forestry issues and were asked whether they would pay a specific tax to fund tree care and maintenance. This survey method, the contingent valuation method, allows for the calculation of the general public’s willingness to pay, in this case, for tree care. More than half of respondents (53%) indicated they were willing to pay such a tax. Residents of larger cities tended to respond more positively, and the amount respondents were willing to pay increased with their income. As expected, as the hypothetical tax increased, support decreased, although even at the highest level, there were more “yes” responses than “no.” The most common reason for supporting the tax was “the current condition of trees in my community.” The most common reason for not supporting the tax was “the amount,” followed by “there are other community priorities/needs.” Interestingly, only 11% of respondents thought that other people would be willing to pay the tax.