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A dilemma of forest resource policy around the world is the trade-off between timber and non-timber values

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A dilemma of forest resource policy around the world is the trade-off between timber and non-timber values. This is the case in the Pacific Northwest, where management of federal timber land has shifted over time from prioritizing timber supply (which supports timber industry jobs and contributes to state GDP) to conservation (which supports other types of jobs and valuable economic activity in the form of tourism).

There are many types of non-timber benefits provided by forests, and an active area of research in economics focuses on trying to measure the economic value of these benefits in dollar terms (or, at least a credible lower bound on the value). Suppose you were tasked with conducting a study for the state of Oregon that would involve identifying and conducting economic research on the value of a type of non-timber benefit provided by forests in the state. What would you choose to study, and why?