Evaluación de los servicios ambientales mediante el método de valoración contingente en la parroquia Palmira, cantón Guamote, provincia de Chimborazo.

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to evaluate the environmental services (ES) through the contingent valuation method of the Palmira parish, Guamote canton, Chimborazo province. In this way, the population was characterized through seven sociodemographic parameters. The instrument used was a survey with 377 valid questionnaires, composed of 12 questions, divided into sections of socio-economic information and environmental component to determine the level of importance of the natural resources provided by the parish through descriptive statistics. In the same way, significant variables were obtained using Anova and T-tes. To determine the monetary value of natural resources, the contingent valuation method was selected, which, through a question in the questionnaire, determines the willingness to pay for the technical management and conservation of environmental goods and services. In turn, the payment vehicle was determined from descriptive analysis. According to the data obtained, it was determined that the global evaluation of the environmental services provided by the parish is (4.51), the most recognized category is provision with a value (4.58) and the best valued subcategory is plant-based foods for humans (4.67) and tourism (4.63). Concluding in this way that the population has a high degree of recognition for the benefits it obtains from the natural resources of the parish, as well as its potentialities for this reason it is necessary to carry out complementary studies.