Choice experiment assessment of public preferences for forest structural attributes

•Knowing social preferences for structural attributes of forest is necessary for optimal forest 2 management. This study uses choice experiment to provide implicit prices for a wide range 3 of structural attributes of forest.•For each attribute the relationship between recreational value and attribute levels is 5 documented.•The results of this study indicate that there is a clear conflict between timber production and 7 recreational use, i.e., the forest attribute levels associated with timber-oriented 8 management result in decreased recreational value.•This study indicates that forests that are managed (or left unmanaged) for biodiversity 10 purposes are also likely to be attractive to humans.

Combining the approach used in landscape research with non-market valuation techniques, the aim of this study is to document human habitat selection for recreational purposes in a gradient of forest naturalness. The results indicate that respondents prefer older stands with vertical layering, irregularly spaced trees and a greater number of tree species. Our study thus indicates that forests that are managed (or left unmanaged) for biodiversity purposes are also likely to be attractive to humans. To conclude, while greater management intensity was associated with higher disutility regardless of the model employed, we do not perceive a risk of conflict between forest management designed to protect biodiversity and management targeting recreational value. Consequently, there is a need for spatially differentiated forest management that discriminates among different functions. The state ownership of all larger Polish forest massifs makes this zoning approach feasible.