Valuing Forest Ecosystems — An Institutional Perspective

Forests

Among the many types of terrestrial ecosystems, forests have some of the highest levels of biodiversity; they also have many interdependent economic, ecological and social functions and provide ecosystem services. They supply a range of tangible, marketable goods, as well as a variety of nonmarketable and intangible services derived from various forest functions. These translate into social, cultural, health and scientific benefits for people’s quality of life. However, because they cannot be traded on a market, nonmarketable and intangible services are often perceived as free, inexhaustible and, as a result, underestimated. The human–nature interaction has affected both nature (via resource consumption) and society (via development of human welfare and well-being). Decision-makers, both public and private, often manage natural capital for multiple aims. In recent years it has been found that the single, individual approach estimating the value for these goods and services is not ab...

2005

Land-use regimes vary throughout the world. Within the forest land-use regime there are several broad management strategies. Diverse views are prevalent about the superiority of one forest management strategy over the others, especially in relation to net benefits. These ...

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2022

Natural resource management in agriculture: methods for assessing economic and environmental impacts, 2005

General Technical Report - Northern Research Station, 2017

This review focuses on the assessment and economic valuation of ecosystem services from forest ecosystems—that is, our ability to predict changes in the quantity and value of ecosystem services as a result of specific forest management decisions. It is aimed at forest economists and managers and intended to provide a useful reference to those interested in developing the practice of integrated forest modeling and valuation. We review examples of ecosystem services associated with several broad classes of potentially competing forest uses—production of timber, sequestration of carbon, regulation of the quality and quantity of water, provision of residential and recreational amenities, and protection of endangered species. For each example considered, we briefly describe what is known about ecological production functions and economic benefits functions. We also highlight the challenges and best practices in the creation and use of this knowledge. In the final section, we discuss the process, strengths, pitfalls, and limitations of utilizing integrated models for benefit-cost analysis of proposed forest management activities.

pp. 149-169 in Sandra Moog and Rob Stones, eds., Nature, Human Needs and Social Relations: Essays in Honour of Ted Benton. London: Palgrave., 2008

Biologia e Conservazione …, 1998

2010

The literature that supports assigning economic value to ecosystem services (ES) has been identified as a topic for discussion. The challenges of economic valuation is a pressing issue, yet the knowledge and barriers associated with them are of equal significance. Specific policy mechanisms that may be used for ES provision are examined in this work. It is also acknowledged that legal and constitutional challenges create obstacles in moving forward toward market-based policies. Furthermore, the challenges touch upon political controversies, and explore details regarding tradable disturbance permits and carbon offsets.

Fondazione Eni Enrico …, 2009

By using ad hoc value transfer protocols, this paper offers a methodological contribution and provides accurate per hectare estimates of the economic value of some selected ecosystem services for all forest biomes in the world, identified following the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment taxonomy MEA. The research also estimates potential total economic losses from policy inaction in year 2050. Final results show that total losses are significant. The total figure is €78 billion, the greatest losses coming from North America and Mexico, followed by Africa, Russia and some Asiatic countries. Most of this loss is attributable to provisioning services and carbon sequestration, while only a minor part is due to loss of cultural services. In terms of biomes the greatest losses are from boreal and warm mixed forests, followed by tropical forests. These results may be surprising to some who argue that it is the loss of tropical forests, particularly the Amazon, that is the most significant. A detailed analysis, shows, however, that this is not the case. The best estimates point to greater losses in areas where use and non-use values are highest, which includes North America.