Identifying, quantifying and valuing ecosystem services in the context of ecological restoration
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This document summarizes a presentation on identifying, quantifying, and valuing ecosystem services in the context of ecological restoration. It defines ecosystem services and discusses how restoration can benefit ecosystem services. It also describes frameworks for identifying, quantifying, and valuing ecosystem services. The document then outlines the presenter's own work conducting an assessment of ecosystem services from different land uses in Southeast Austria, finding the highest economic values associated with mature plantations but noting a need for more comprehensive valuation. It concludes by stating the importance of understanding linkages between ecology, economics, and society to ensure human well-being and sustainability.
Identifying, quantifying and valuing ecosystem services in the context of ecological restoration
- 1. Himlal Baral International Seminar on Land Reclamation Technologies for Sustainable Land Use Jambi University 7-8 November 2014 Identifying, quantifying and valuing ecosystem services in the context of ecological restoration
- 2. Identification, quantification and valuation of ES • Definition & concepts • Restoration benefits • Concept of ecosystem services • Identification, quantification, valuation and mapping • Example of recent work on SE Austrian context • Concluding comments
- 3. Ecological restoration and ecosystem services ‘the benefits human populations derive directly or indirectly from ecosystem functions’ (Costanza et al. 1997, Nature) Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed... (Society of Ecological Restoration, 2004) Foley et al. (2005)
- 4. Land management choices – trade-offs
- 7. Main disciplines associated with restoration Restoration ecology provides opportunities to link environmental science, technology, and engineering within a socially relevant context Ecological restoration projects must involve proactive dialogue with local people, social scientists, engineers, and other professionals. Armesto et al (2007)
- 8. ES restoration and environmental markets Restoration of ecosystem services that can be bought, sold, or traded requires actions (use of “tools”) that directly influence biophysical processes These processes interact with ecosystem features (e.g., suites of species or surrounding land use) and are collectively called ecosystem functions or ecological processes Palmer and Filoso (2009)
- 9. Restoration benefits Bullock et al. (2011) An integrated hydrology– ecology–economic model was developed based on the multi-user potential for managing and restoring the natural capital of Ukombe at farmstead and watershed scales in South Africa Compared against current intensive management, restoration actions provide potential returns in terms of several services.
- 10. Restoration trade-offs Baral et al 2014
- 11. Concept of Ecosystem services • Ecosystems provide vital goods and services to human beings • Ecosystems services and human well-being are linked • Human well-being and long-term economic success depend on ecosystem services, the benefits that people get from nature • Provision of ecosystem services is not often factored into important decisions that affect ecosystems • Distortions in decision-making damage the provision of ecosystem services making human society and the environment poorer
- 13. The status of the world’s ecosystem services Capture fisheries Wild foods Biomass fuel Genetic resources Biochemicals Fresh water Air quality regulation Climate regulation Erosion regulation Water purification Pest regulation Pollination Natural hazard regulation Spiritual values Aesthetic values Degraded EnhancedMixed Provisioning Cultural Regulating Crops Livestock Aquaculture Carbon sequestration Timber Fiber Water regulation Disease regulation Recreation & ecotourism Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005 The status of the world’s ecosystem services
- 14. Ecosystem services trend since 1970
- 15. Characteristics of Ecosystem Services Marketed and non-marketed Heterogeneous across the landscape and change through time Multiple services production from same area Complex/ non linear Benefit dependence (according to choice of stakeholders) Fischer et al (2009)
- 16. ES classification based on spatial characteristics 1. Global importance • Climate regulation, cultural/existence value 2. Local importance • Strom regulation, habitat 3. Directional flow related • Water regulation, Nutrient regulation 4. Point of use • Soil formation, raw materials, 5. User movement related: flow of people to unique natural features • Genetic resources, recreational potential Costanza (2008)
- 17. Quantification of Ecosystem services ES quantification enables: • Documentation of ecosystem value of a parcel of property • Documentation of ecosystem cost/benefit of an action • Comparison of ecosystem benefits/costs between actions • Selection/modification of actions that maximise ecosystem benefits Subsequently, quantified values provide supporting information for ecological restoration
- 18. Valuation of ecosystem services Ecosystem service valuation assigns a dollar value to goods and services provided by a given ecosystem Key reasons to value ecosystem services • The economy and ecosystems are interrelated • Helps to protect the natural ecosystems and the essential public benefits they provide • The economy functions best when it recognises all ecosystem values • Markets fail to maximise net benefits if ecosystems services have no prices to guide their allocation to higher valued uses • Potential to improve financial viability of non-industrial and small-scale plantations
- 19. A framework for identification, quantification valuation of ecosystem services Quantify the ecosystem services • estimate the services based on biophysical units, Quantify the total service-each LULC • determine the characteristics necessary for service provision • quantify the relationships between LULC and potential service supply • quantify the components of biodiversity that support by LULC Identify and value potential alternatives for providing the service Evaluate options: • compare valuations and examine trade-offs • determine implications for biodiversity conservation • determine implications for policy and alternative scenarios Define and identify the ecosystem services: • identify the ecosystem service beneficiaries from a landscape • identify the spatio-temporal scale of services • identify the ecosystem service providers based on LULC 1. IDENTIFICATION 2. QUANTIFICATION Value the service as provided by the LULC 3. APPRAISAL/VALUATION
- 20. Common approaches to assess ES Time Cost Quantification and economic valuation Use of economic principles and valuation approaches on top of biophysical quantification Quantitative assessment Biophysical quantification using field measurement, estimation, and regional/local proxies Qualitative assessment Expert opinion, professional judgement, rankings, surveys Baral et al 2014, JEPM
- 22. ES valuation methods Revealed-preference approaches • Travel cost: site-based amenities (e.g., cleaner recreational lakes) • Market methods: directly obtained from market (e.g., timber) • Hedonic methods: people’s willingness to pay for (e.g., open-space amenities) Cost-based approaches • Replacement cost: what it would cost to replace that service (e.g., tertiary treatment values of wetlands) • Avoided cost: on the basis of costs avoided (e.g., clean water reduces costly incidents of diarrhea) Stated-preference approaches • Contingent valuation: willingness to pay or accept (e.g., willingness to pay for cleaner air)
- 23. My work on ES assessment
- 24. Study area and major land use categories • Rainfall ~350 mm, 70 m asl • Size: 30,000 ha • High conservation value Himlal Baral © University of Melbourne 2013
- 25. List of potential Ecosystem Services for valuation Spatial data Non spatial data GIS Database Land cover classification and mapping List of Eco services identified from GIS Total Economic value Non-market valuation technique Market-based valuation Environmental value transfer Economic value of Ecosystem services Government & non government agencies, Forest companies Spatial Economic Valuation (SEV) Methodological framework
- 26. EGS trend under various scenarios Land use scenarios Ecosystem Services Carbon Agri prodn Water Biodiversity Timber Business-as-usual = = Future farming landscapes = Eco-centric = Agro-centric = Land abandonment ? = Himlal Baral © University of Melbourne 2013
- 27. ES from various land use/cover types Baral et al 2014, JEPM
- 28. • The value of selected ecosystem services (timber, carbon, biodiversity, water) have distinctly different spatial distributions • Mature plantations represent the highest economic value per unit area due to the detailed valuation of consumptive services • Quantification and valuation of timber and carbon were relatively straightforward due to readily available information • Value of native vegetation was relatively low due to the lack of proper techniques that reflect the true value of native vegetation and because this land use is not readily bought and sold in the market place • A detailed valuation of additional ecosystem services is required to identify conservation priority sites for restoration planning and assessment Reflection from ES assessment work
- 29. Concluding comments 20th century record: • Rapid expansion of human economy • Notable gains in human welfare • But negative environmental consequences that threaten sustainability (MEA 2005) 21st century challenge: • Provide for human wellbeing • AND do so in a sustainable manner This requires understanding consequences of our actions in both near and long term – linkage of ecology, economics and society to see effects on full range of ecosystem services Ecological restoration opens opportunities for flexible land-use strategies that maximise the provision of ES at minimum cost Effectiveness of restoration action depends on ecosystem services provided to the society Quantification and valuation of services due to restoration activities is vital to continue restoration activities...
- 30. References and further readings Armesto et al (2007) Towards an ecological restoration network: reversing land degradation in Latin America, Front Ecol & Env 5 (4) Benayas, et al (2009) Enhancement of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services by Ecological Restoration: A Meta-Analysis Science 325 Bullock et al. (2011) Restoration of ecosystem services and biodiversity: conflicts and opportunities, Trends of Ecol and Evol Costanza R (2008) Ecosystem services: Multiple classification systems are needed. Biol Conserv 141:350-352 Fisher et al (2009) Defining 495 and classifying ecosystem services for decision making. Ecol Econ 68:643-653 Foley et al (2005) 2005. Global consequences of land use. Science 309 (5734), 570–574. Palmer and Filoso (2009) Restoration of Ecosystem Services for Environmental Markets, Science 325, DOI: 10.1126/science.1172976 Turner et al (2008) Valuing ecosystem services: the case of multifunctional wetlands. Earthscan Publications Ltd, London