An Applied Evaluation of Ecosystem Services Decision-Support Tools

Abstract

Nature's value as an asset is unmistakable, evident through the tangible benefits it provides, such as agricultural yields and tourist attractions. These services, known as ecosystem services (ES), are easy to appreciate due to their direct market connections. However, implicit ES, like climate regulation and flood control, are often overlooked until their absence becomes painfully evident, demonstrated by disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the 2012 Midwest flash drought event, as well as with large development projects, such as the channelization and subsequent re-meandering of the Kissimmee River. While wetlands are recognized to contribute to ecological integrity, human well-being, and national resilience, population growth and economic development have historically led to the transformation of these critical habitats. The rapid conversion of wetland habitat has largely degraded wetland ES, especially affecting inland wetlands. An apparent gap exists between wetland conservation policies and site-level decision-making, often stemming from inadequate documentation of wetland ES costs and benefits at the local and regional levels. This research accepted the hypothesis that ES Decision Support Tools (ES-DSTs) can quantify site-specific freshwater wetland ES. Pilot studies were employed to highlight the potential of ES-DSTs to bridge the gap between high-level wetland conservation policies and on-the-ground implementation by improving ES accounting. These quantitative metrics lay the groundwork for ES valuation, a crucial preparatory phase to conducting a BCA.