Valuation of ecosystem services can play an important role in guiding decision-making concerning the restoration of natural ecosystems which is particularly important in tropical coastal wetlands due to their widespread deterioration. This study investigates the environmental status and provision of key ecosystem services of the Ashtamudi lake Ramsar site in Kerala, India, and explores the feasibility of wetland restoration scenarios through a multi-year program involving stakeholder workshops, primary market data collection, and stated preference non-market valuation. Relying on the input of local stakeholders, we apply a choice experiment to estimate the willingness to pay for wetland restoration scenarios with a focus on water quality, mangrove conservation and sustainable fisheries. Results indicate that local stakeholders attribute the greatest value to mangrove conservation, followed by water quality and sustainably managed fisheries. Furthermore, we show that the local residents’ willingness to pay for modest and moderate wetland improvement scenarios may outweigh the potential cost of the restoration projects, especially for modest restoration objectives and even under conservative assumptions regarding the benefits and costs of restoration. We discuss how such results can inform local policy in the development of sustainable management practices and act as a benchmark for the extensive network of wetlands in Kerala.

生态系统服务的估价可以在指导有关恢复自然生态系统的决策方面发挥重要作用，由于热带沿海湿地普遍退化，对生态系统的恢复特别重要。这项研究调查了印度喀拉拉邦Ashtamudi湖Ramsar场址的环境状况和关键生态系统服务的提供，并通过涉及利益相关方研讨会，主要市场数据收集和陈述优先的多年计划，探讨了湿地恢复方案的可行性。市场估值。依靠当地利益相关者的意见，我们进行了选择实验，以评估对湿地恢复方案的支付意愿，重点是水质，红树林保护和可持续渔业。结果表明，当地利益相关者将最大价值归因于红树林保护，其次是水质和可持续管理的渔业。此外，我们表明，当地居民愿意为适度和适度的湿地改善方案付费的意愿可能会超过修复项目的潜在成本，尤其是对于适度的修复目标，甚至是在保守估计的修复收益和成本的情况下。我们讨论了这样的结果如何在可持续管理实践的发展中为当地政策提供信息，并作为喀拉拉邦广泛的湿地网络的基准。我们表明，当地居民为适度和适度的湿地改善方案付费的意愿可能会超过修复项目的潜在成本，尤其是对于中等修复目标而言，甚至是在保守的假设下，对修复的收益和成本也是如此。我们讨论了这样的结果如何在可持续管理实践的发展中为当地政策提供信息，并作为喀拉拉邦广泛的湿地网络的基准。我们表明，当地居民为适度和适度的湿地改善方案付费的意愿可能会超过修复项目的潜在成本，尤其是对于中等修复目标而言，甚至是在保守的假设下，对修复的收益和成本也是如此。我们讨论了这样的结果如何在可持续管理实践的发展中为当地政策提供信息，并作为喀拉拉邦广泛的湿地网络的基准。