Author(s)

D. RIDEOUT, J. LOOMIS, P. ZIESLER & Y. WEI

Abstract

A new approach was used to elicit relative values of a variety of natural and cultural resources to estimate the extent that managers thought these resources would be enhanced or harmed by wildfire. This method, while based on economic principles of utility, does not involve monetary valuation. The method is illustrated by elicitation of relative values of different forest types, wildlife habitat and archaeological/cultural resources from resource professionals and managers in Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia–Kings Canyon and Yellowstone National Parks. While these elicitations were independently performed for each park, the relative protection and improvement values of the various resources are remarkably similar. This similarity may reflect the common and well-focused mandate that national parks operate under. The management implications of the protection and improvement values of natural and cultural resources for wildland fire management at these and other national parks are discussed.

Keywords

Disturbance, Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia–Kings Canyon, value elicitation, wildland fire, Yellowstone