Ecosystem services:
Practical applications for
conservation and land use
decision making
Joshua Farley
Community Development and Applied Economics
Gund Institute for Ecological Economics
Case Studies
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Salmon protection in
Pacific Northwest
Conversion of
mangrove
ecosystems to shrimp
aquaculture in the
Philippines
PES
Case Study: Are Salmon Worth
Protecting?
• Habitat plan for the
Green/Duwamish and
Central Puget Sound
Watershed
• Earth Economics hired
to prepare ecological
economic assessment
Identified and Valued Key ES
Associated with Salmon Protection
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Water regulation
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waste absorption
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reduction of pathogens and
pollutants , nutrient regulation
storm protection,
biodiversity preservation,
increased production of fish,
shellfish, and other food and raw
materials
erosion control
aesthetic value and recreation
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Flood protection, natural stormwater
management, drinking water
production and filtration
fishing, hunting, boating, hiking, bird
watching
educational and scientific benefits.
Results
• Decision makers thought
about problem in
different way
• Consensus on chapter:
Ecological economics
foundation for the
Habitat Plan
• Consensus that estuarine
habitat for Salmon should
be restored
– Key argument was flood
regulation
Case Study: Conversion of Mangrove
Ecosystems to Shrimp Aquaculture
Shrimp Aquaculture
•High short term profits, heavily promoted by
economists, World Bank, Government
•Shrimp and fish for 3-10 years
• Carnivorous, net reduction in food production
•Less protein than intact ecosystem
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Massive waste output
Irreversible(?) destruction of ecosystem
Mangrove Ecosystems
•Structure
• raw materials, market goods
• Building materials, charcoal, food
•Function
• Ecosystem services, non-market goods
• Habitat, nursery
• Storm protection
• Waste absorption
• Climate stabilization
communicated results…
…and influenced decision
makers
…and influenced decision makers
Payment for Ecosystem
Services
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Costa Rica
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NYC
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Gas tax + external funding to pay for CO2
sequestration, watershed management,
biodiversity, aesthetics/tourism value
Pay for land uses in Catskills that protect water
quality
Workshop in Costa Rica resulting in
proposals for Madagascar, Brazil, Mexico
Vermont ES:
Regulation
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e.g. Water regulation,
erosion control
Provisioning
Services
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e.g. timber, food
production
Information
Services
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e.g. recreation,
tourism
Supporting
Services
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Habitat
Refugia
Without biodiversity,
there are no other
services
The Real Economic Problem
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How do we allocate finite ecosystem structure
between:
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Production of economic goods and services
Production of life sustaining ecosystem services
ES essential part of the equation, mostly
ignored by market decisions