YANGON UNIVERSITY of ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT of ECONOMICS Ph.D PROGRAMME ECONOMIC VALUATION of ECOSYSTEM SERVICES in TAUNG THAMAN L
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
YANGON UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS Ph.D PROGRAMME ECONOMIC VALUATION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN TAUNG THAMAN LAKE YIN MYO OO JULY, 2020 i YANGON UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS Ph.D PROGRAMME ECONOMIC VALUATION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN TAUNG THAMAN LAKE YIN MYO OO 4- Ph.D (THU) BA-2 JULY, 2020 ii CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the content of this dissertation is wholly my own work unless otherwise referenced or acknowledged. Information from sources is referenced with original comments and ideas of the writer herself. Yin Myo Oo 4- Ph.D (Thu) Ba-2 iii ABSTRACT This study aims to assign aggregate monetary values of the provisioning, regulating and cultural services on the Taung Thaman Lake in Amarapura Township, Mandalay. The objective is to investigate the factors influencing on willingness to pay (WTP) among villagers and visitors. The market value method is applied to evaluate the aggregate value of crop production in the Lake provisioning service. The contingent valuation method (CVM) is also applied to estimate the amount of money that villagers and visitors were willing to pay by using the binary logistic regression analysis. The Aggregate economic value of crop production from the Lake provisioning services is 49.53 million kyats per year in 2018-2019. The binary regression analysis result shows that the villager’s mean WTP for the water quality conservation is 1,128 Kyats/month/ households and the Aggregate WTP of the water quality conservation of the villagers of the Lake regulating service is 34.41 million Kyats/year/ households in 2018-2019. It is found that the visitor’s mean WTP for entrance fees to the U Bein Bridge is 908 Kyats/person and the Aggregate WTP of recreation of visitors of the Lake cultural services is 109.78 million Kyats/year. The binary regression analysis results indicate that the main factors that are the bid amount with negative effect and age, marital status, education level, occupation, monthly income, visit time and attitudes with positive effects are found to have a significant statistical influence on the WTP. The aggregate monetary value of ecosystem services on the Lake is estimated at 1030.52 million Kyats/year during 2018-2019. The maximum economic benefit is generated from cultural services, followed by provisioning services and regulating services. This study suggests that environmental development supports community development in broad dimensions, associated with community wellness, community economic development and community learning. Positive relationships are emphasized with the opportunity to participate effectively in collective decision-making. Raising community awareness and environmental management will lead to more conservation and sustainable development over the Lake resources. The government should also play a critical role of developing an environmental strategy, including all stakeholders. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are a number of people to whom I am most grateful and whose support made a valuable contribution to the completion of my study. First and foremost, I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to Professor Dr. Tin Win, Rector, Yangon University of Economics, and Professor Dr. Ni Lar Myint Htoo, Pro-Rector, Yangon University of Economics for their kind permission to study in the programme and continued support to carry out this dissertation. I would like to express my deep and sincere gratitude to Prof. Dr. Kyaw Min Htun, Pro-Rector (Retired), Yangon University of Economics, Prof. U Than Aung Yin, Pro-Rector (Retired), Monywa University of Economics, Prof. Daw Nyunt Nyunt Swe, (Retired), Yangon University of Economics, Prof. Daw Aye Aye Myint, (Retired), Yangon University of Economics, Prof. Dr. Htay Htay Lwin, Acting-Rector (Retired), Co-operative University, Thanlyin, Prof. Dr. Khin Khin Htwe, Pro-Rector (Retired), Monywa University of Economics for their sympathetic attitude, invaluable suggestions and comments along with great encouragement and kindness. My deep appreciation and thanks to Prof. Dr. Phyu Phyu Ei, Professor, Head of Department, Department of Applied Economics, Yangon University of Economics, Dr. Cho Cho Thein, Programme Director and Head of Department, Ph.D Programme, Yangon University of Economics, Prof. Dr. Maw Maw Khin, Professor, Head of Department, Department of Statistics, Yangon University of Economics, Prof. Dr. Khin Thida Nyein, Professor, Department of Economics, Prof. Dr. Tha Pye Nyo, Professor, Department of Economics, Prof. Dr. Tin Tin Wai, Professor, Department of Applied Economics, and Prof. Dr. Su Su Myat, Professor, Department of Applied Economics, , for their invaluable advices and academic guidance that have proved to be of great contribution to my dissertation. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor Prof. Dr. Ni Lar Myint Htoo, Pro-Rector, Yangon University of Economics, for all her time and painstaking patience in providing guidance, suggestions, comments, encouragement and advice. This thesis would not have been completed without her patient guidance, consistent encouragement and advices. ii Moreover, I would like to express my special appreciation to all those that have assisted me in my research work and to all who have actively participated. During my research, I have come across many individuals at the Taung Thaman Lake in Amarapura Township, Mandalay Region who shared their thoughts and views which are highly valuable. I also would like to extend my gratitude to people who have also assisted me in the interviews. On my personal side, I am extremely grateful to my family for their continuous encouragement, understanding and support. Last but not least, I would like to express my deep gratitude to all individuals who contribute directly or indirectly to my dissertation. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FIGURES ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS x CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale of the Study 1 1.2 Problem Statement and Research Questions 5 1.3 Objective of the Study 6 1.4 Method of Study 7 1.5 Scope and Limitations of the Study 7 1.6 Organization of the Study 8 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Importance of Lakes and Their Ecosystem 10 2.2 Conservation of Lake Resources 13 2.3 Major Categories of Economic Valuation and 17 Methods Used in Environmental Valuation 2.4 The Classification of Lake Ecosystem Functions, 33 Services and Values 2.5 Review on Previous Studies 41 2.6 Conceptual Framework 54 CHAPTER III BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF THE TAUNG THAMAN LAKE 3.1 Background of the Amarapura Township 59 3.2 Extent of the Selected Villages surrounded by the 68 Taung Thaman Lake 3.3 Tourism Based Businesses 80 3.4 Challenges and Environmental Problems of the 81 iv Taung Thaman Lake 3.5 Conservation Measures by Diverse Stakeholders 84 CHAPTER IV SURVEY ANALYSIS 4.1 Survey Profile 92 4.2 Survey Design 94 4.3 Data Collection Techniques 96 4.4 Data Analysis 100 4.5 Examining the Survey Data 106 4.6 Analysis of Survey Results 134 CHAPTER V CONCLUSION 5.1 Findings 154 5.2 Recommendations 158 5.3 Limitations and Further Research 163 REFERENCES APPENDICES v LIST OF TABLES Table No. Title Page Table 2.1 Ecosystem Services, Valuation Method, Element of TEV Captured, 37 Ecosystem Services Valued, Benefits of Approach and Limitations of Approach Table 3.1 Population, Number of Households and Sexes of Wards and Village 61 Tracts; Amarapura Township (Mandalay District, Mandalay Region) Table 3.2 Land Use in Amarapura Township 63 Table 3.3 Major Crops in Amarapura Township 65 Table 3.4 Employment by Sector within the Amarapura Township 66 Table 3.5 Households and Sexes of the Selected Village’s Population 71 Table 4.1 Sample Size of the Selected Villages96 Table 4.2 Identification of Dependent and Independent Variables for 103 Villagers Table 4.3 Identification of Dependent and Independent Variables for 105 Visitors Table 4.4 Socioeconomic Characteristics of the Villagers 107 Table 4.5 Socioeconomic Characteristics of the Visitors 108 Table 4.6 Socioeconomic Characteristics of the Tourism-Based Businesses 110 and Factories and Firms Table 4.7 Attitudes Concerning Government Future Plan of Respondents 113 for the Lake Conservation Table 4.8 Attitudes Concerning Public Awareness of Respondents for 114 the Lake Conservation Table 4.9 Perception of Villagers, Tourism-based Business and Factories 116 and Firms on the Taung Thaman Lake Table 4.10 Perceptions and Travel Information for Visitors on 117 the Taung Thaman Table 4.11 Condition of Environmental Quality of the Taung Thaman Lake 120 Table 4.12 Number of Villagers, Tourism-based Businesses and Factories and 121 Firms Who Want to Pay and Unwanted to Pay for Conservation of Water Quality Improvement of the Taung Thaman Lake vi Table No. Title Page Table 4.13 Number of Visitors Who Want to Pay and Unwanted to Pay 121 for Entrance Fees of U Bein Bridge Table 4.14 Perceptions of Willing to Pay of Respondents for Conservation 122 Program of the Taung Thaman Lake Table 4.15 Perceptions of Unwilling to Pay of Respondents for Conservation 123 Program of the Taung Thaman Lake Table 4.16 Follow-up Certainty about Willingness to Pay of Respondents 124 Table 4.17 Specific Amount of Willingness to Pay of Monthly Payment 125 towards Better Water Quality Conservation of Villagers Table 4.18 Specific Amount of Willingness to Pay of Monthly Tax towards 126 Better Water Quality Conservation of Tourism-based Businesses Table 4.19 Specific Amount of Willingness to Pay of Monthly