A Comparison of the Economic Efficiency of Living and Artificial Snowfence Designs for Road Protection
| Autor: | David R. Betters, William Daigneault |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2000 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Western Journal of Applied Forestry. 15:70-74 |
| ISSN: | 1938-3770 0885-6095 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/wjaf/15.2.70 |
| Popis: | Both artificial and living snowfences are used to protect roads from blowing and drifting snow. This article evaluates and compares the economic performance of three snowfence designs--the Wyoming and double-row slatted artificial snowfences and a three-row living snowfence. The economic analysis evaluates the snowfences by applying four economic performance indicators: total net benefits, present net value, benefit/cost ratio, and annual breakeven benefits. The study uses snow removal savings and accident reduction benefit information from a case study in the state of Wyoming. The case study results show all the designs are economically efficient when used for road protection. However, the living snowfence outperformed the other designs in three of the four economic performance indicator categories. The largest proportion of total costs of the Wyoming and living snowfence are establishment costs whereas the bulk of total cost of the double-row slatted snowfence is for maintenance. The economic performance of all the snowfences is most sensitive to changes in their useful or effective lives. The procedures and general conclusions of the study can be applied to similar cases elsewhere. West. J. Appl. For. 15(2):70-74. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|