Citizens' preferences and valuation of urban nature: Insights from two choice experiments

Urban nature increases the liveability of cities and can improve their resilience to climate change. However, the value of urban nature often remains unknown, which results in its omission from urban planning decisions. Particularly the valuation of small-sized urban nature remains understudied. This study therefore employs a stated preference methodology to estimate the economic value of seven types of small urban nature and four associated ecosystem services. We perform two choice experiments: one with urban parks, urban forest and green corridors and another one with even smaller urban nature types (green roofs, green walls, street trees and green beds). The results of the choice analysis show that urban residents are willing to pay more for the former types of urban nature but not for the latter types. Urban parks are valued the most, followed by urban forests and green corridors. Within the category of the smallest urban nature types, street trees are valued most followed by green beds, whereas green walls and green roofs are least valued. We discuss opportunities and barriers to implementing economic valuation results in urban planning practices. Several policy and future research recommendations are proposed.