Assessing the Impacts of Forest Management on Aboriginal Hunters: Evidence from Stated and Revealed Preference Data

Assessing the impacts of forest harvesting activities on Aboriginal People and incorporating these considerations into forest management plans is one of the challenges facing Canadian forest managers. In this study we model hunting behavior using stated and revealed preference data on subsistence use of wildlife resources. We use this framework to assess the impacts of forest management changes on Aboriginal People in northwestern Saskatchewan. Innovative approaches to data collection are employed to address challenges in obtaining data in these contexts. The econometric analysis combines the stated and revealed preference information to account for limitations in the revealed preference data. Monetary measures of welfare are examined, but we also assess resource compensation and zoning as mechanisms for addressing the impact of forest harvesting on subsistence wildlife use. The results also demonstrate the use of GIS information in linking forest management and Aboriginal resource use.