The first-ever inventory of community-owned forests in New Hampshire that was released last week included an interesting number: $146 million. This was the “economic value” researchers put on the 180,439 acres. …Of that, $92 million was from “forest-related industries” like logging and maple sugaring, and $54 million from “recreational uses.” Those are nice exact numbers, but where do they come from, particularly the latter? I can see knowing the dollar value of timber sales and wood pulp production and biomass energy, but how do you quantify the dollar value of a section of a hiking trail on a piece of land owned by a town or city or school district, or the value of a parcel that protects a stream feeding into the water supply, or some property that preserves cottontail habitat or a scenic view?