Estimating the Economic Benefits of a Mt St Helens Wolf Population: a Cost Benefit Analysis Using Benefit Transfer

Abstract

It has been almost 20 years since the US Fish and Wildlife Service reintroduced wolves to Yellowstone and central Idaho, yet the controversy surrounding wolves in the western US remains as fierce as ever. Meanwhile, wolf populations across MT, WY, ID, and even WA have grown to the point where many states are shifting their goals from a focus on recovery to one on ongoing management. With this shift comes new questions about how to balance the various competing interests involved. In order to address some of these questions, this study looks at SW Washington, an area of the state so far unpopulated by wolves, and uses value estimates from previous research in an attempt to quantify the economic costs and benefits associated with the return of wolves to the Mt St Helens area.