Valoración de recursos naturales y ganadería en la zona centro de Veracruz, México

Willingness to pay (WTP) for environmental services from a cattle ranching region encompasing Veracruz, La Antigua, and Boca del Rio, Veracruz State, Mexico, is reported. A survey questionnaire, randomly applied to a stratified sample of 199 individuals, about regional demographic attributes, natural resources, wildlands condition, environmental quality and animal husbandry was administered. Contingent valuation techniques were applied, and supplemented with interviews and anthropologic field work. Results revealed that 83,42% of the sampled individuals have a positive WTP for an improved environment, and 84,42% of respondents will accept increases in taxation as the venue to that end; 85,93% of the public in the sample will rather see that cattle ranchers should be compensated by government for the extra cost of an environmentally conscious management. WTP through increased taxation has statistically significant influences (p<0,05) from household income, severity of regulations, and restrictions to ranching practices. Direct payment resulted acceptable, as well as additional government regulations mandating best ranching practices. Hence, these results led to support that public opinion favors a variety of payment mechanisms. Approval of additional environmental legislation, as well as strict enforcement of existing cattle raising regulations was also noticed.