Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU

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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research on advancing methods for estimating the economic value of and assessing user preferences for nonmarket remotely-sensed information. Remotely-sensed data, such as satellite imagery, are used in a broad range of natural resource applications, including forestry, water resources, fire, biodiversity conservation, coastal resources, and fish and wildlife management. Resource managers in the United States and around the world depend on no-cost remotely-sensed data provided by the Federal government, such as Landsat and MODIS satellite imagery. For example, millions of Landsat images are distributed every year directly from USGS to thousands of users. These images are included in derived products, such as Google Earth, which have millions of users. Though the widespread use of the imagery indicates it provides benefits to users, the nonmarket status of the data can make it difficult to determine the value of the data to users and society at large. Additionally, due to the variety of applications of remotely-sensed information, user preferences vary widely when it comes to the attributes of remotely-sensed data. Not fully understanding these preferences can make it difficult to design sensors and satellites that meet user needs.

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