Paying for Nature-based Solutions: Do Valencians prefer voluntary or mandatory contributions for forest restoration in Spain?

The Mediterranean Forest faces increasing pressures from climate change, including wildfires, land abandonment, and biodiversity loss. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are sustainable strategies that address these challenges. This study examines how voluntary and mandatory payment mechanisms affect citizens’ willingness to pay (WTP) for forest restoration through NbS in Valencia, Spain. A discrete-choice experiment evaluated 603 respondents’ preferences for ecosystem services’ improvement. Results show stronger support for voluntary payments (WTP values of €58.96 for moderate improvements and €113.07 for substantial ones) compared to mandatory payments (€32.48 and €71.97). These findings provide insights for designing socially acceptable and effective forest restoration policies.