Economic Value of Florida Water Resources: Contributions of Tourism and Recreation to the Economy

Recreation is only one of the benefits people receive from water resources. Water is essential for fisheries and aquaculture, for drinking and bathing, for sanitation, and for spiritual and symbolic purposes, among myriad other uses described in the Economic Value of Florida Water Resources series. This 6-page fact sheet written by Tatiana Borisova, Kurt Oehlbeck, Xiang Bi, Tara Wade, Alan Hodges, Kelly Grogan, and Fe Hei and published by the UF/IFAS is the second part of the series. It discusses the contribution of water-based tourism to the economy in various Florida regions, summarizing a number of economic studies and focusing on freshwater-based recreation, such as canoeing, freshwater angling, wildlife watching, lake- or river-shore hiking, spring diving, and more. Readers can pick and choose the studies most relevant to their geographic area or their area of interest.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1065

Economic Value of Florida Water Resources: Value of Freshwater-Based Recreational Experiences

Santa Fe River

This 8-page fact sheet written by Tatiana Borisova, Tara Wade, Xiang Bi, Kurt Oehlbeck, and Kelly Grogan and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department is part 3 of the series “Economic Value of Florida Water Resources.” It uses Florida-based economic studies to provide natural resource professionals and interested citizens with information regarding the value of water-based tourism and recreation in Florida.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1067

Valuing Florida’s Water Resources: Ecosystem Services Approach

An alligator in water with fallen leaves surrounding it. Photo taken 12-19-17.

This 6-page fact sheet written by Tatiana Borisova, Tara Wade, Xiang Bi, Kurt Oehlbeck, and Kelly Grogan and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department defines the term “ecosystem services” and presents examples of ecosystem services provided by water resources. It explains three values people assign to water resources and presents a brief overview of the methods that economists employ to measure the value of water.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1064

Valuing Florida Water Resources: Prices of Waterfront Properties

Canal off of King Bay in Crystal River, entry to Three Sisters Springs, manatee protection area, state, development, houses, water. UF/IFAS Photo: Sally Lanigan.
This 9-page fact sheet written by Tatiana Borisova, Xiang Bi, Tara Wade, and Kurt Oehlbeck and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department explores the relationship between water quality and sale prices of waterfront properties, that is, the amenity value provided by water resources to waterfront communities. Being near to water to water generally increases the value of a residential property. However, poor water quality may decrease waterfront property prices. In other words, investments in restoring water quality can translate into increases in property value and tax collection.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1062/p>