Relaxing in nature: A discrete choice experiment for forest restorative trails

Recently, forest recreation has been spreading worldwide to improve citizens' physical and mental well-being with an active and stressful lifestyle. However, research to date has yet to determine suitable forest stand characteristics for restoration, and the socio-economic benefits of these forest-based initiatives at a local level. This study investigates people's preferences towards some key characteristics of forest restorative trails (sensory experiences and meditation, site and stand features). To this end, the study was conducted through an online survey with a convenience sample of 505 potential forest bathers in Italy, using the Discrete Choice Experiments method, which allowed us to identify people's willingness to pay for the different characteristics, considering respondents’ trade-offs among changes in the characteristics. The results highlight two potential groups of users: the first one is composed of people who are more likely to participate with a certified guide, while the second one is composed of independent users. The results show the highest willingness to pay for stand features such as European beech forests (€ 5.9) and the presence of water elements (€ 4.3). While results are primarily case specific and difficult to generalise, they provided by this study can support decision-makers in identifying and modeling sites suitable for restorative activities.