Methodological aspects of ecosystem service valuation at the national level

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Abstract

Ecosystem service valuations focusing on the assessment of ecosystem service values in space and time have recently been receiving considerable attention. Ecosystem service valuation data are critical for developing national ecosystem accounts and for assessment of costs and benefits associated with national strategies and plans. In this article, we discuss selected methodological aspects of ecosystem service valuation at the national level for the Czech Republic. We present a classification of ecosystems based on CORINE Land Cover and Consolidated Layer of Ecosystems of the Czech Republic. The focal point of our article is a systematic review of ecosystem service values. A systematic review requires a standardised protocol for incorporation of valuation studies. To illustrate the proposed methodology, we conducted a search of ecosystem service valuation studies at the European level. While there is a significant number of ecosystem service valuation studies, the number of studies which could be used for an effective value transfer is limited. We discuss the limitations of the value transfer approach and suggest further steps for improving the scientific basis for national level valuations.

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Guidelines for systematic review in conservation and environmental management.

Andrew S. Pullin, Gavin Stewart (2006)

An increasing number of applied disciplines are utilizing evidence-based frameworks to review and disseminate the effectiveness of management and policy interventions. The rationale is that increased accessibility of the best available evidence will provide a more efficient and less biased platform for decision making. We argue that there are significant benefits for conservation in using such a framework, but the scientific community needs to undertake and disseminate more systematic reviews before the full benefit can be realized. We devised a set of guidelines for undertaking formalized systematic review, based on a health services model. The guideline stages include planning and conducting a review, including protocol formation, search strategy, data inclusion, data extraction, and analysis. Review dissemination is addressed in terms of current developments and future plans for a Web-based open-access library. By the use of case studies we highlight critical modifications to guidelines for protocol formulation, data-quality assessment, data extraction, and data synthesis for conservation and environmental management. Ecological data presented significant but soluble challenges for the systematic review process, particularly in terms of the quantity, accessibility, and diverse quality of available data. In the field of conservation and environmental management there needs to be further engagement of scientists and practitioners to develop and take ownership of an evidence-based framework.

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Bringing Ecosystem Services into Economic Decision-Making: Land Use in the United Kingdom

Ian J. Bateman, Amii R. Harwood, Georgina M. Mace … (2013)

Land-use decisions are based largely on agricultural market values. However, such decisions can lead to losses of ecosystem services, such as the provision of wildlife habitat or recreational space, the magnitude of which may overwhelm any market agricultural benefits. In a research project forming part of the UK National Ecosystem Assessment, Bateman et al. (p. [Related article:] 45 ) estimate the value of these net losses. Policies that recognize the diversity and complexity of the natural environment can target changes to different areas so as to radically improve land use in terms of agriculture and greenhouse gas emissions, recreation, and wild species habitat and diversity. The value of using land for recreation and wildlife, not just for agriculture, can usefully factor into planning decisions. Landscapes generate a wide range of valuable ecosystem services, yet land-use decisions often ignore the value of these services. Using the example of the United Kingdom, we show the significance of land-use change not only for agricultural production but also for emissions and sequestration of greenhouse gases, open-access recreational visits, urban green space, and wild-species diversity. We use spatially explicit models in conjunction with valuation methods to estimate comparable economic values for these services, taking account of climate change impacts. We show that, although decisions that focus solely on agriculture reduce overall ecosystem service values, highly significant value increases can be obtained from targeted planning by incorporating all potential services and their values and that this approach also conserves wild-species diversity.