Abstract
The current study provides conservative estimates of the economic value of 6 selected tiger reserves in India: Corbett, Kanha, Kaziranga, Periyar, Ranthambore and Sundarbans. These tiger reserves have been selected from different tiger landscapes of the country to provide indicative economic values associated with tiger conservation in India in various ecological and socio-economic contexts. Apart from quantitative and qualitative estimates of ecosystem services from selected tiger reserves, the study also explores other dimensions of values. It does so through mapping of ecosystem services in two of the selected tiger reserves and estimating what it would cost to re-create a tiger reserve. It is important to note that the objective of the study is neither to compare the benefits of the tiger reserve with any economic venture such as mining, nor compare the benefits across selected tiger reserves.
Verma, M., Negandhi, D., Khanna, C., Edgaonkar, A., David, A., Kadekodi, G., Costanza, R., Singh, R. Economic Valuation of Tiger Reserves in India: A Value+ Approach. Indian Institute of Forest Management. Bhopal, India. January 2015.
