Valuing urban nature through life satisfaction: The consistency of GIS and survey indicators of nature

Abstract

This study estimates the relationships between green and blue nature and the life satisfaction (LS) of residents in the six largest cities in the Netherlands to monetize the value of urban nature. The analysis uses both survey and geographic information system (GIS) data on the availability of nature to examine the influence of this methodological choice on the valuation outcomes. The main findings are that different indicators of the availability of nature consistently reveal positive relationships with reported LS, which implies substantial marginal willingness-to-pay (MWTP) values for urban nature. Valuation results based on the survey data indicate higher MWTPs compared to GIS data on nature availability, which may be explained by the more disaggregated data from surveys on the availability and use of nature.