Valuing mangrove management options in Ghana using discrete choice experiments

Abstract

Mangrove forest degradation threatens the ecosystem services vital to coastal communities and environments. Despite the increasing threats to Ghana's mangroves, limited evidence exists on community trade-offs between monetary and labour-based contributions to management, hindering effective policy design. Using the discrete choice experiment with 801 respondents and a dual payment vehicle, the study quantified community preferences and trade-offs for key mangrove management attributes for policy and restoration planning in Ghana. The attributes assessed include fish stock, biodiversity, shoreline erosion protection, and the size of the mangrove area restored. A random parameter logit model was applied to estimate marginal utilities and derive the marginal willingness-to-pay (MWTP) and marginal willingness-to-work (MWTW) values across attributes. Results show respondents prioritised shoreline erosion control and fish stock gains, indicating strong support for restoration-focused management options. This study provides the first combined MWTP and MWTW valuation for mangrove management in Ghana, offering evidence-based priorities for coastal governance. • A discrete choice experiment was conducted to value mangrove management in Ghana. • Both monetary and labour contributions were used as payment vehicles in the DCE. • Results showed a positive and significant MWTP and MWTW of the attributes associated with mangrove forest management.