to five major treatments. Table 17.5 presents the different treatments along with
their annual costs.
The total costs per acre of each treatment type ranges from $1,600 for Treatment A
to $780 for Treatment E. It is presently estimated that A. saligna has established itself
in an area of approximately 250 acres out of a total of about 5,000 acres for the entire
nature reserve (Cohen and Bar (Kutiel) 2004). In order to completely eradicate
A. saligna from the Nizzanim LTER Coastal Sand Dune Nature Reserve, a one-time
investment would have to be made of between US$195,000 and $400,000 (see
Table 17.5) depending on which method of treatment was chosen. Treatments A and
B require a small reapplication of herbicides. This was taken into consideration in the
costs of the treatments as the net present value of the cost of the repeat application
over 20 years at a 5 % interest rate.
The current rate of invasion is approximately 25 acres per year. The expectation
is that within 20 years, 90 % of the Nizzanim LTER Coastal Sand Dune Nature
Reserve will have been invaded by A. saligna. Therefore, in order to contain the
spread of the invasive species by maintaining the current level of invasion, an
investment would need to be made of between US$19,500 and US$40,000,
depending on the treatment level.
17.5.3 Analysis
The annual cost of containing the spread of the A. saligna at the Nizzanim LTER
Coastal Sand Dune Nature Reserve is between US$19,500 and US$40,000. The
one-time cost of eradicating the invasive species completely from the reserve is
between US$195,000 and US$400,000 (see Table 17.5). In order to exercise
maximum caution in the estimation of the economic value of the elimination of the
A. saligna species, we chose to compare the total value derived from the mean use
value of the visitors to the nature reserve with the cost of containment or elimination of the invasive species.
Table 17.5 Cost of control at Nizzanim Nature Reserve
Treatment Description
Annual cost of
containment (US$)
Total cost of
elimination (US$)
A
Cutting and clearing, spraying
of stumps and sprouts
40,151
401,556
B
Cutting and burning, spraying
of stumps and sprouts
38,962
389,556
C
Cutting and clearing, solar
sterilization—natural irrigation
33,167
331,111
D
Uprooting, solar sterilization—natural
irrigation
22,333
223,333
E
Uprooting, spraying stumps and
sprouts
19,540
195,333
17 The Value of Coastal Sand Dunes
283
their annual costs.
The total costs per acre of each treatment type ranges from $1,600 for Treatment A
to $780 for Treatment E. It is presently estimated that A. saligna has established itself
in an area of approximately 250 acres out of a total of about 5,000 acres for the entire
nature reserve (Cohen and Bar (Kutiel) 2004). In order to completely eradicate
A. saligna from the Nizzanim LTER Coastal Sand Dune Nature Reserve, a one-time
investment would have to be made of between US$195,000 and $400,000 (see
Table 17.5) depending on which method of treatment was chosen. Treatments A and
B require a small reapplication of herbicides. This was taken into consideration in the
costs of the treatments as the net present value of the cost of the repeat application
over 20 years at a 5 % interest rate.
The current rate of invasion is approximately 25 acres per year. The expectation
is that within 20 years, 90 % of the Nizzanim LTER Coastal Sand Dune Nature
Reserve will have been invaded by A. saligna. Therefore, in order to contain the
spread of the invasive species by maintaining the current level of invasion, an
investment would need to be made of between US$19,500 and US$40,000,
depending on the treatment level.
17.5.3 Analysis
The annual cost of containing the spread of the A. saligna at the Nizzanim LTER
Coastal Sand Dune Nature Reserve is between US$19,500 and US$40,000. The
one-time cost of eradicating the invasive species completely from the reserve is
between US$195,000 and US$400,000 (see Table 17.5). In order to exercise
maximum caution in the estimation of the economic value of the elimination of the
A. saligna species, we chose to compare the total value derived from the mean use
value of the visitors to the nature reserve with the cost of containment or elimination of the invasive species.
Table 17.5 Cost of control at Nizzanim Nature Reserve
Treatment Description
Annual cost of
containment (US$)
Total cost of
elimination (US$)
A
Cutting and clearing, spraying
of stumps and sprouts
40,151
401,556
B
Cutting and burning, spraying
of stumps and sprouts
38,962
389,556
C
Cutting and clearing, solar
sterilization—natural irrigation
33,167
331,111
D
Uprooting, solar sterilization—natural
irrigation
22,333
223,333
E
Uprooting, spraying stumps and
sprouts
19,540
195,333
17 The Value of Coastal Sand Dunes
283