Putting a value on visual amenity

Abstract

Visual amenity is, by definition, in the eye and the mind of the beholder, and is therefore not easy to quantify. However, it is clear that basing the valuation of a work of art such as a sculpture or painting on the cost of the material from which it is made, or the number of hours that the artist took to create it, would not provide a reliable basis for assessing the merit or value of the finished work. Assessment of the visual amenity value of trees and woodlands is similar in this respect, and it must be recognised that cost and value are two distinct matters, which are not necessarily related. It would therefore seem unreasonable to expect that the cost of supplying and planting a young tree would be likely to provide an effective basis for the valuation of a mature tree. This paper is concerned only with the valuation of visual amenity. Other values, such as the provision of shade or shelter, may also be important, but will need to be assessed separately, as they will be related to different parameters, which are not discussed here. The economics which underlie this topic are viewed from an arboricultural practitioner's perspective, but within a broader economic framework, and an attempt is made to convince the reader that an approach which is based on value, rather than cost, is essential if realistic results are to be obtained.