The economy in Taiwan relied on agriculture sector 1960. Later on the economy structure shifted to manufacturing and commerce. During the course of the economic development, the I-lan county located at the northeast of Taiwan had paid much more attention to protect the environment than other counties. But since 1990, I-lan county’s economic development moves to tourism and leisure industries which led to the agriculture landscape change from the ancient building, rice field and windbreak forest into the western style farmhouse, flower field and vegetable field. In recent years, I-lan county government promotes “local culture” and the culture movement -“I-lan house”. Therefore, this study adds the “I-lan house” element into rural landscape.
This study is attempting to know the preference of people who living in I-lan area on various rural landscapes which formed by various landscape components. This research is carried out by conjoint analysis (which is one of the Contingent Valuation Techniques, CVM ) due to the rural landscape has no market existed. First, the rural landscape alternatives are formed and the questionnaire survey is implemented. Then the conjoint analysis models are estimated by using SPSS package. Finally the WTP (willingness to pay) or WTA(willingness to accept) for rural landscape change are calculated. The results of this study are shown that the preference orders are “Rice field”＞“Forest”＞“Flower field”＞ “Vegetable field”＞“Farmhouse” evaluated at the 55 hectare level； “Farmhouse”＞“Flower field”＞“Rice field”＞“Vegetable field”＞“Forest” evaluated at the 30 hectare level ； “Farmhouse”＞“Vegetable field”＞“Flower field”＞“Forest”＞“Rice field” evaluated at the 5 hectare. With the above results we could know that the people prefers the bigger area of “Rice field” and “Forest”，and prefers the smaller area of “Farmhouse” and “Vegetable field” .But when the price or cost of each alternative is considered, it is found that that people prefers to choose the low price alternative. It leads to the low effectiveness value of landscape elements. Therefore, the lower price projects which has higher WTP (willingness to pay). Conversely, the higher effectiveness value of landscape elements which has higher price and higher WTA (willingness to accept).
