ECONOMICS:
VALUATION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
"... global ecosystem services provide annual benefits in the range of USD 125–140 trillion in 2011."
~ Costanza et al (2014): 'Changes in the global value of ecosystem services'
"By one estimate, restoring 350 million hectares of degraded and deforested lands around the world would create up to $9 trillion in net benefits.”
~ Verdone (2015). 'A Cost-Benefit Framework for Analyzing Forest Landscape Restoration Decisions'
"Here we argue that as the force of humanity increases on the planet, ecosystem service valuation will need to switch from choosing among resources to valuing the avoidance of catastrophic ecosystem change."
~ Limburger, O'Neill, Costanza, Farber (2002) 'Complex systems and valuation'
NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS FOR CLIMATE RECOVERY
"Nature Based Solutions can provide at least a third of the solution to climate change but receive less than 3% of funding from current climate finance."
~ Inger Anderson, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme, 22 September 2019
COST BENEFIT AND VALUE
OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
Verdone (2015). A Cost-Benefit Framework for Analyzing Forest Landscape Restoration Decisions. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland:
"Ecosystem services (ES) are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems, according to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA 2003): 'Ecosystem services can be classified as provisional (eg fibre, food, freshwater production), regulative (eg disease management, climate regulation, freshwater purification), supportive/ processes (eg nutrient cycling, pollination, soil formation) and cultural (eg cultural/religious/spiritual, aesthetic, educational, recreational).' " [emphasis added]
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services - A business case for re/insurance, 2020, Swiss Re Institute
Costanza et al (2014): 'Changes in the global value of ecosystem services', Global Environmental Change 26 (2014) 152-158:
It is estimated that "global ecosystem services provide annual benefits in the range of USD 125–140 trillion in 2011".
'The Business Case - Why is safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystems important for business?' IUCN website
De Groot et al (2002), 'A typology for the classification, description and valuation of ecosystem functions, goods and services', Ecological Economics, Volume 41, Issue 3, June 2002, Pages 393-408:
"Economic valuation methods fall into four basic types, each with its own repertoire of associated measurement issues: (1) direct market valuation, (2) indirect market valuation, (3) contingent valuation, (4) group valuation.
"3.3.1. Direct market valuation
This is the exchange value that ecosystem services have in trade, mainly applicable to the ‘goods’ (i.e. production functions) but also some information functions (e.g. recreation) and regulation functions: New York City, for example, has sought to use natural water regulation services of largely undeveloped watersheds, through purchase or easements, to deliver safe water and avoided a $6 billion water filtration plant. This implies those watersheds are worth up to $6 billion to New York City. Wetlands trading programs allow property owners to capitalize on the demand for wetlands banks, with wetlands being sold in banks for $74,100–$493,800 per ha (Powicki, 1998).
3.3.2. Indirect market valuation
When there are no explicit markets for services, we must resort to more indirect means of assessing values. A variety of valuation techniques can be used to establish the (revealed) Willingness To Pay (WTP) or Willingness To Accept compensation (WTA) for the availability or loss of these services.
Limburger, O'Neill, Constanza, Farberd (2002) 'Complex systems and valuation', Ecological Economics, Volume 41, Issue 3, June 2002, Pages 409-420:
"Here we argue that as the force of humanity increases on the planet, ecosystem service valuation will need to switch from choosing among resources to valuing the avoidance of catastrophic ecosystem change."
"Ecosystem services (ES) are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems, according to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA 2003): 'Ecosystem services can be classified as provisional (eg fibre, food, freshwater production), regulative (eg disease management, climate regulation, freshwater purification), supportive/ processes (eg nutrient cycling, pollination, soil formation) and cultural (eg cultural/religious/spiritual, aesthetic, educational, recreational).' " [emphasis added]
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services - A business case for re/insurance, 2020, Swiss Re Institute
Costanza et al (2014): 'Changes in the global value of ecosystem services', Global Environmental Change 26 (2014) 152-158:
It is estimated that "global ecosystem services provide annual benefits in the range of USD 125–140 trillion in 2011".
'The Business Case - Why is safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystems important for business?' IUCN website
De Groot et al (2002), 'A typology for the classification, description and valuation of ecosystem functions, goods and services', Ecological Economics, Volume 41, Issue 3, June 2002, Pages 393-408:
"Economic valuation methods fall into four basic types, each with its own repertoire of associated measurement issues: (1) direct market valuation, (2) indirect market valuation, (3) contingent valuation, (4) group valuation.
"3.3.1. Direct market valuation
This is the exchange value that ecosystem services have in trade, mainly applicable to the ‘goods’ (i.e. production functions) but also some information functions (e.g. recreation) and regulation functions: New York City, for example, has sought to use natural water regulation services of largely undeveloped watersheds, through purchase or easements, to deliver safe water and avoided a $6 billion water filtration plant. This implies those watersheds are worth up to $6 billion to New York City. Wetlands trading programs allow property owners to capitalize on the demand for wetlands banks, with wetlands being sold in banks for $74,100–$493,800 per ha (Powicki, 1998).
3.3.2. Indirect market valuation
When there are no explicit markets for services, we must resort to more indirect means of assessing values. A variety of valuation techniques can be used to establish the (revealed) Willingness To Pay (WTP) or Willingness To Accept compensation (WTA) for the availability or loss of these services.
- Avoided Cost (AC): services allow society to avoid costs that would have been incurred in the absence of those services. Examples are flood control (which avoids property damages) and waste treatment (which avoids health costs) by wetlands.
- Replacement Cost (RC): services could be replaced with human-made systems; an example is natural waste treatment by marshes which can be (partly) replaced with costly artificial treatment systems.
Limburger, O'Neill, Constanza, Farberd (2002) 'Complex systems and valuation', Ecological Economics, Volume 41, Issue 3, June 2002, Pages 409-420:
"Here we argue that as the force of humanity increases on the planet, ecosystem service valuation will need to switch from choosing among resources to valuing the avoidance of catastrophic ecosystem change."
FOOD PRODUCTION AND LIVELIHOODS
'Trees for life: The ecosystem service contribution of trees to food production and livelihoods in the tropics':
"Using systematic review methodology we found 74 studies investigating the effect of forest or tree-based ecosystem service provision on a range of outcomes such as crop yield, biomass, soil fertility, and income.
Our findings suggest that when incorporating forests and trees within an appropriate and contextualized natural resource management strategy, there is potential to maintain, and in some cases, enhance yields comparable to solely monoculture systems."
~ 'Trees for life: The ecosystem service contribution of trees to food production and livelihoods in the tropics', Reed et al, Forest Policy and Economics, Volume 84, November 2017, Pages 62-71
SOIL EROSION AND BIOMASS
Pimentel, D, Kounang, N (1998), 'Ecology of Soil Erosion in Ecosystems', Ecosystems 1, 416–426 (1998)
Pimentel (2005), 'Soil Erosion: A Food and Environmental Threat', College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, New York
Biomass: "Biomass refers to the above and below-ground plant material and is ususally expressed in grams dry weight per square meter (gDW·m−2)." From: Ecology of Insular Southeast Asia, 2006
Pimentel (2005), 'Soil Erosion: A Food and Environmental Threat', College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, New York
Biomass: "Biomass refers to the above and below-ground plant material and is ususally expressed in grams dry weight per square meter (gDW·m−2)." From: Ecology of Insular Southeast Asia, 2006
NATURAL SEQUENCE FARMING ('NSF')
BY PETER ANDREWS OAM
A WHOLE OF LANDSCAPE APPROACH
Natural Sequence Farming (NSF), sometimes also called 'Natural Farming Sequence' is a 'Whole of Landscape' restoration and management approach that is based on Peter Andrews' observations of how the old Australian landscape functioned automatically prior to human interference. The basis of NSF is the science that is written in the Australian landscape ('The Australian Landscape Science' or 'TALS'). Tarwyn Park Training provide a four day Natural Sequence Farming course.
NSF seeks to reinstate the functions of the old Australian landscape when the landscape was so lush that it supported megafauna. NSF is both, a landscape restoration and farming method. The latter has been described as 'Stepped Diffusion System of Broad Acre Hydroponics' by Prof Haikai Tane.
Peter Andrews OAM has transformed many farming properties across Australia, including Tarwyn Park, Baramul Stud, Yanget Farm, Jillamatong and Tallawang, described on the CASE STUDIES page. Peter has successfully rehydrated many other farms across Australia that are not mentioned on this website.
Tarwyn Park was Peter Andrews' 'living laboratory' in the beautiful Bylong Valley - until it was taken over by a Korean coal mine. Baramul Stud is in the Widden Valley, a sister valley of Bylong Valley, with very similar features, such as massive sandstone cliffs.
Find out more, below, as well as on the 'Case Studies' page of this website.
NSF seeks to reinstate the functions of the old Australian landscape when the landscape was so lush that it supported megafauna. NSF is both, a landscape restoration and farming method. The latter has been described as 'Stepped Diffusion System of Broad Acre Hydroponics' by Prof Haikai Tane.
Peter Andrews OAM has transformed many farming properties across Australia, including Tarwyn Park, Baramul Stud, Yanget Farm, Jillamatong and Tallawang, described on the CASE STUDIES page. Peter has successfully rehydrated many other farms across Australia that are not mentioned on this website.
Tarwyn Park was Peter Andrews' 'living laboratory' in the beautiful Bylong Valley - until it was taken over by a Korean coal mine. Baramul Stud is in the Widden Valley, a sister valley of Bylong Valley, with very similar features, such as massive sandstone cliffs.
Find out more, below, as well as on the 'Case Studies' page of this website.
NSF AT 'BARAMUL' STUD, WIDDEN VALLEY, NSW
“Here [at Baramul Stud], in 18 months, you are seeing soil made on top of sand by a very simple process, and the organic layer is quite significant - that black layer that starts to form.
"I think it’s the most significant contribution to landscape restoration that I’ve seen in Australia. ...
“It all comes together in this very simple process that he has invented in a sense what was always there in the Australian landscape.
"I think Peter is a near genius. He’s a simple farmer who’s understood science better than most scientists, if not all scientists, and they come somewhat grudgingly to learn at his feet.”
Prof David Goldney, See extract of ABC Australian Story 'Of Droughts and Flooding Rains', originally broadcast on 13 June 2005.
NSF at Jillamatong, Braidwood, NSW
See also 'The Jillamatong Story', Soils for Life case study on the prime lamb, cattle, garlic, truffles and yabbies enterprise. Innovations included restoration of eroded areas and development of chain of ponds. Key results included vastly improved water quality through from chain of ponds, significant reduction in costs, 230% profit between 2005 and 2014.
NSF AT 'YANGET' FARM, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Read the scientific report on the page 'CASE STUDIES'.
NSF AT TALLAWANG - 'Greener Pastures through Restoring Landscape Hydrology' Soils for Life Case Study
See 'Tallawang' - Greener Pastures through Restoring Landscape Hydrology
Soils for Life case study for sheep and cattle enterprise.
Innovations included the construction of leaky weirs and swales to slow water flow.
Key results included:
Soils for Life case study for sheep and cattle enterprise.
Innovations included the construction of leaky weirs and swales to slow water flow.
Key results included:
- 250% increase in carrying capacity,
- 15-23% profit margin on cattle production,
- constant river outflow regardless of inflow,
- improved landscape hydrology, and
- increased native biodiversity.
Learn Natural Sequence Farming (NSF)
with Tarwyn Park Training
AGROECOLOGICAL FARMING
WHOLE OF LANDSCAPE APPROACHES
Agroecology at Bjia Vidyabeeth, Navdanya, India
Bija Vidyapeeth – Earth University, Navdanya, Dehradun, India:
Focus on water and mulch farming; polyculture crops. The book 'Wealth Per Acre' by Dr Vandana Shiva includes case studies on productivity and nutrient increase per acre for polycultures compared to monocultures. The book 'Health Per Acre' by Dr Vandana Shiva shows how to increase nutritious crops while reducing costs.
Focus on water and mulch farming; polyculture crops. The book 'Wealth Per Acre' by Dr Vandana Shiva includes case studies on productivity and nutrient increase per acre for polycultures compared to monocultures. The book 'Health Per Acre' by Dr Vandana Shiva shows how to increase nutritious crops while reducing costs.
Permaculture at Bec Hellouin Farm, France
Bec Hellouin farm, France
Agroecological production; increase of soil carbon by 10% per year. See 'Heal the Earth through agriculture'.
See also: https://www.fermedubec.com/la-recherche/les-rapports-scientifiques/
Agroecological production; increase of soil carbon by 10% per year. See 'Heal the Earth through agriculture'.
See also: https://www.fermedubec.com/la-recherche/les-rapports-scientifiques/
