Valuing Ecosystems:How can you put a value on a ecosystem?

Understanding the value and importance of ecosystems in terms of biodiversity and ecological resources .

Examining the economic, culturaland environmental value of ecosystems

The Value of Ecosystems

Ecosystem Value Card Sort

• Look at the cards you have and decide if they fit in the ecological, economic or cultural / aesthetic column.

• Then stick them down for you to keep. • These highlight the value of any ecosystem.

Ecosystem Services

• Ecosystem Services are the benefits that people get from ecosystems. They can be classified into 4 groups.

• These 4 main services have a huge impact on the well being of the people who live in these areas

Relationship between ecosystem services and wellbeing

• These 4 main services have a huge impact on the well being of the people who live in these areas as your hand out shows;

1. Supporting Services• Service that are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services. Their

impacts on people are indirect, or occur over a very long time. They include soil formation, photosynthesis, nutrient cycling etc.

2. Regulating Services• These are the benefits obtained from the regulation of ecosystems processes, e.g.

air quality, climate, water etc.3. Cultural services• These are the non-material benefits that people obtain from ecosystems e.g.

knowledge, recreation, ecotourism, cultural heritage, spiritual and religious values4. Provisioning Services (goods)• These are the products obtained from ecosystems, including things like food, fuel,

fresh water medicines etc.

Case study 1: Daintree Rainforest (p109 Parrot)

The Daintree and Ecosystem Services

1/5 Carbon Sequestration• Trees absorb carbon dioxide and give out oxygen, thus removing

greenhouse gases from the air. The carbon dioxide is stored as biomass to help regulate the climate and reduce pollution

The Daintree and Ecosystem Services

2/5 Medicine• 25% of drugs include

products that come from rainforests. TRF have provided chemicals used to treat diabetes, malaria, heart conditions, rheumatism and arthritis. In the Daintree plants have been identified as having anti-cancer properties

The Daintree and Ecosystem Services

3. Tourism• The Daintree attracts nearly half a million visitors a year. Visitors

come for the scenery- coast, forest and mountains- the biodiversity and to visit the Great Barrier Reef.

Daintree, Eco-Lodge

• The Skyrail takes tourists from nearby Cairns into the Daintree Rainforest

The Daintree and Ecosystem Services

4. People of the Rainforest

• Rainforest aboriginal people are the original owners of Wet Tropical rainforests. To them, the rainforest is a series of complex ‘living’ cultural landscapes. This means that the natural features of the rainforest are interwoven with people’s religion, spirituality, economic use (food and tools) and social and moral organisation.

The Daintree and Ecosystem Services

5. Logging• The commercial timber

industry began in the Daintree in the 1930s. During the 1980s, the Daintree rainforest was at the centre of arguments between conservationists and the timber industry. The conservationists argued the logging was unsustainable.

Case Study 2: Coral Reefs

• Watch the videos here about coral reefs• Read ‘The Value of Coral Reefs’ p.72-73 in the

text book and then make notes on its different values.