Use of Ecosystem Services in Evaluating Biodiversity ... · Area B - Services Provided (Ecological...
Transcript of Use of Ecosystem Services in Evaluating Biodiversity ... · Area B - Services Provided (Ecological...
Use of Ecosystem Services in Evaluating Biodiversity Offsets and Demonstrating
Environmental Sustainability Prepared for:
Prepared by:
Mark Rockel, CH2MHILLSenior Natural Resource Economist
Joe Nicolette, CH2MHILLEcoValuation Practice Director
December 2008
Ecological Service ValuationEcological Service Valuation
Actions and decisions that affect habitats/land, etc., can substantially affect ecosystem service valuesChanges to these values can be quantified and evaluated
Tools developed and utilized primarily in the NRDA arenaNatural resource economics approachesLitigation tested methodologiesHEA, REA, Benefits Transfer, etc.
Why Formal Quantification is Important?
Why Formal Quantification is Important?
Enables you to:Document the ecosystem value of a parcel of property;Document the ecosystem cost/benefit of an action;Compare ecosystem benefits/costs between actions (i.e., NEBA); andSelect/modify actions that maximize ecosystem benefits
Subsequently, quantified values provide supporting information for decision-makers and other stakeholders
Ecosystem Service Valuation and Ecosystem Service Valuation and Application to SustainabilityApplication to Sustainability
Social
Economic
Environment
Potential to Rank Actions and Alternatives for Comparison
Potential to Rank Actions and Alternatives for Comparison
Economic
Climate ChangeWater/Ground
waterEquity/ Social H&S
Action / Alternative
Ecological Services (dSAYs)
Ecological Risk Profile
Net GHG Emissions (tons/yr) and Carbon
Sequestration (tons/yr)
Water Volume Affected and $
Value
Human Use Value
($)
Human Risk Profile
Property Value
Change
ALT 1ALT 2ALT 3ALT 4
Environment SocialNet Environmental Benefit Analysis Example Table (Measure Net Change in Metric)
Biodiversity/Habitat
Area A - Services Lost (Ecological Loss)
A
% o
f Ser
vice
s
Years
Area B - Services Provided (Ecological Benefit)
B
Demonstrating Environmental Demonstrating Environmental Stewardship and SustainabilityStewardship and Sustainability
(develop net benefit of actions)
Baseline
Action affecting the environment
Offsets: How much is enough?
Biodiversity Offsets
Trends
Biodiversity OffsetsBiodiversity Offsets
Defined: Conservation actions intended to compensate for the residual, unavoidable harm to biodiversity caused by development projects, so as to ensure no net loss of biodiversity
Voluntary or Non-Voluntary
Governments and companies are increasingly using biodiversity offsets
Resource CompensationResource Compensation
United States (US) and in Europe, laws have been enacted to provide for compensation for damage to natural resources. Generally, two approaches have been used to calculate the amount of required compensation:
monetary value of the damages; and calculating the amount of natural resource restorationneeded to compensate for the harm.
Recent European Union (EU) Directives covering environmental compensation state a preference for resource equivalency approaches over monetary valuation.
Laws Requiring Offsets: ExamplesLaws Requiring Offsets: Examples
Wetland Banking in the USConservation Banking in the USNRDA in the USHabitats and Birds Directives and implementing regulations in the EUOffsets in Brazil under the Forest Regulation and National System of Conservation UnitsFederal Law for the Protection of Nature and Landscape in SwitzerlandOffsets in AustraliaNo net loss of fisheries habitat in Canada under the Fisheries Act
Opportunities Using OffsetsOpportunities Using Offsets
Demonstrate Environmental Sustainability and StewardshipMitigation and Mitigation Banking (generate revenue)Liability OffsetPotential Tax BenefitsEnhance planning and project implementation (e.g., EIS, EIA)Cost Effective ConservationCan increase property values
Biodiversity Offsets
Case Study
Tennessee Case StudyTennessee Case Study
Comparative land reuse designsOver 300 parcelsComparing designs as part of the EIS alternative comparison process
EconomicConservationBalanced: economic and conservation
Provide defendable basis for final site reuse design
0200,000400,000600,000800,000
1,000,0001,200,0001,400,0001,600,000
DR EC DR
DR
DR
DR
NR
CD
RD
RD
RN
RC
DR
NR
CD
RN
RC
NR
CN
RC
NR
CN
RC
DR SA SA SA DR
PO DR
DR
PO DR
DR
DR
DR
DR
DR
DR SA EC EC
NR
CD
R EC ECN
RC
DR
SRM
SRM
SRM
SRM EC EC
NR
CEC
SRM
SRM
SRM
SRM EC EC
NR
CEC SA SA SA SA EC EC
NR
CEC
NR
CD
RN
RC
ECN
RC
ECN
RC
EC EC ECN
RC
EC EC ECN
RC
EC DR EC
NR
CEC D
RD
R
Parcel 5
Parcel 9
Parcel 10
Parcel 44
Parcel 47
Parcel119
Parcel120
Parcel121
Parcel12 55
Parcel142
Parcel143
Parcel144
Parcel145
Parcel146
Parcel147
Parcel153
Parcel218
Parcel257
Parcel296
Parcel297
Parcel298
Parcel299
Pa3
$/Ye
ar
Alternative 1 Alternative 2 Alternative 3 Alternative 4
01,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,0007,0008,0009,000
10,000
DR EC DR
DR
DR
DR
NR
CD
RD
RD
RN
RC
DR
NR
CD
RN
RC
NR
CN
RC
NR
CN
RC
DR SA SA SA DR
PO DR
DR
PO DR
DR
DR
DR
DR
DR
DR SA EC EC
NR
CD
R EC ECN
RC
DR
SRM
SRM
SRM
SRM EC EC
NR
CEC
SRM
SRM
SRM
SRM EC EC
NR
CEC SA SA SA SA EC EC
NR
CEC
NR
CD
RN
RC
ECN
RC
ECN
RC
EC EC ECN
RC
EC EC ECN
RC
EC DR EC
NR
CEC D
RD
R
Parcel 5
Parcel 9
Parcel 10
Parcel 44
Parcel 47
Parcel119
Parcel120
Parcel121
Parcel12 55
Parcel142
Parcel143
Parcel144
Parcel145
Parcel146
Parcel147
Parcel153
Parcel218
Parcel257
Parcel296
Parcel297
Parcel298
Parcel299
Pa3
dSA
Ys
Parcel Service AnalysisParcel Service Analysis
Exhibit ES-4. Ecological, Recreational, and Real Estate Values Per Acre Per Alternative (32 parcels, using Alternative
A as a baseline for comparison)
-100%
-80%
-60%
-40%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
A B C D
Alternative
% D
iffer
ence
Fro
m A
lt A
Ecological Recreational Real Estate
Economic
Conservation
BaselineMgmt Plan
MaximizedAlternative (balanced)
Tennessee Case Study ResultsTennessee Case Study Results
ConclusionConclusion
Ecological and human use services were evaluated to develop and maximize benefits to demonstrate that the recommended alternative was environmentally sustainablewhile managing real estate values.
Alternative Comparisons Using Ecosystem Services
Alternative Comparisons Using Ecosystem Services
Land Re-Use Designs (e.g., Brownfield, greenspace designs)Remedial ActionsNEPA AlternativesLand Management ActionsRestoration, Recreational Area Designs (e.g., eco-tourism)BioDiversity OffsetsAny actions that affect natural resource service values (ecological and human use)
Questions