Agroforestry for ecosystem services and environmental benefits: an overview

2009 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shibu Jose
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Environmental Benefits

Vulnerability and Importance of Arctic Wetlands as large-scale nature-based solutions for Sustainability in a Changing Climate

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisie Kåresdotter ◽  
Zahra Kalantari
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Indigenous Populations ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Arctic Wetlands

<p>Wetlands as large-scale nature-based solutions (NBS) provide multiple ecosystem services of local, regional, and global importance. Knowledge concerning location and vulnerability of wetlands, specifically in the Arctic, is vital to understand and assess the current status and future potential changes in the Arctic. Using available high-resolution wetland databases together with datasets on soil wetness and soil types, we created the first high-resolution map with full coverage of Arctic wetlands. Arctic wetlands' vulnerability is assessed for the years 2050, 2075, and 2100 by utilizing datasets of permafrost extent and projected mean annual average temperature from HadGEM2-ES climate model outputs for three change scenarios (RCP2.6, 4.5, and 8.5). With approximately 25% of Arctic landmass covered with wetlands and 99% being in permafrost areas, Arctic wetlands are highly vulnerable to changes in all scenarios, apart from RCP2.6 where wetlands remain largely stable. Climate change threatens Arctic wetlands and can impact wetland functions and services. These changes can adversely affect the multiple services this sort of NBS can provide in terms of great social, economic, and environmental benefits to human beings. Consequently, negative changes in Arctic wetland ecosystems can escalate land-use conflicts resulting from natural capital exploitation when new areas become more accessible for use. Limiting changes to Arctic wetlands can help maintain their ecosystem services and limit societal challenges arising from thawing permafrost wetlands, especially for indigenous populations dependent on their ecosystem services. This study highlights areas subject to changes and provides useful information to better plan for a sustainable and social-ecological resilient Arctic.</p><p>Keywords: Arctic wetlands, permafrost thaw, regime shift vulnerability, climate projection</p>

scholarly journals Evaluating the environmental impact of payments for ecosystem services in Coatepec (Mexico) using remote sensing and on-site interviews

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 426-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
JASON SCULLION ◽  
CRAIG W. THOMAS ◽  
KRISTINA A. VOGT ◽  
OCTAVIO PÉREZ-MAQUEO ◽  
MILES G. LOGSDON
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Payments For Ecosystem Services ◽  
Programme Implementation ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Monitoring And Enforcement ◽  
Landsat Satellite

SUMMARYOver the last decade, hundreds of payments for ecosystem services (PES) programmes have been initiated around the world, but evidence of their environmental benefits remains limited. In this study, two PES programmes operating in the municipality of Coatepec (Mexico) were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in protecting the region's endangered upland forests. Landsat satellite data were analysed to assess changes in forest cover before and after programme implementation using a difference-in-differences estimator. Additionally, surveys and interviews were conducted with local residents and a subset of PES programme participants to evaluate the programmes’ social and environmental impacts, particularly the effect of the programmes on landowner behaviour. The remote-sensing data show that deforestation was substantially lower on properties receiving PES payments compared to properties not enrolled in the programmes, but the programmes did not prevent the net loss of forests within Coatepec. Moreover, the on-site interviews suggest that the payments may have had little impact on deforestation rates, and that other factors contributed to the conservation of forests in PES properties. These findings suggest that risk-targeted payments, robust monitoring and enforcement programmes, and additional conservation initiatives should be included in all PES schemes to ensure environmental effectiveness.

scholarly journals Emerging Solutions to Return Nature to the Urban Ocean

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 445-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Airoldi ◽  
Michael W. Beck ◽  
Louise B. Firth ◽  
Ana B. Bugnot ◽  
Peter D. Steinberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Economic Instruments ◽  
New Approaches ◽  
Sustainable Future ◽  
Exclusive Economic Zones ◽  
Economic Zones

Urban and periurban ocean developments impact 1.5% of the global exclusive economic zones, and the demand for ocean space and resources is increasing. As we strive for a more sustainable future, it is imperative that we better design, manage, and conserve urban ocean spaces for both humans and nature. We identify three key objectives for more sustainable urban oceans: reduction of urban pressures, protection and restoration of ocean ecosystems, and support of critical ecosystem services. We describe an array of emerging evidence-based approaches, including greening grayinfrastructure, restoring habitats, and developing biotechnologies. We then explore new economic instruments and incentives for supporting these new approaches and evaluate their feasibility in delivering these objectives. Several of these tools have the potential to help bring nature back to the urban ocean while also addressing some of the critical needs of urban societies, such as climate adaptation, seafood production, clean water, and recreation, providing both human and environmental benefits in some of our most impacted ocean spaces.

scholarly journals Program Outcomes of Payments for Watershed Services in Brazilian Atlantic Forest: How to Evaluate to Improve Decision-Making and the Socio-Environmental Benefits

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2441
Author(s):  
Flávio Monteiro dos Santos ◽  
Marcondes Coelho-Junior ◽  
Jéssica Chaves Cardoso ◽  
Vanessa Basso ◽  
André de Paula Marques ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Evaluation Methodology ◽  
Payments For Ecosystem Services ◽  
Program Outcomes ◽  
Efficiency Performance ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Watershed Services ◽  
Paraíba Do Sul River

In 2014, the Paraíba do Sul River Basin Integration Committee (CEIVAP) established its Pilot Program of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES), focusing on water resources. The projects from this program share the same goal: to disseminate the use of PES as a tool for land management in watersheds. Contemplating 11 municipalities, including 84 landowners, conserving 718.63 ha and restoring 188.58 ha, this program was concluded in April 2020. Reviewing its historical and contextualizing features, we have observed that the outcomes from this program extend beyond these numbers. Here, we propose an evaluation methodology comparing the efficiency, performance, and impact of the PES projects. Based on new indicators that are easy to measure, we have identified key elements that have asymmetrically affected the projects. The complexity of the project scope and the execution of high-cost, and risky interventions on rural properties, have resulted in expensive projects with little tangible outputs. Our results support the upgrade of public policy for investment in ecosystem services by CEIVAP in the Paraíba do Sul watershed. In addition, our results can be more successful by improving the decision-making processes for similar projects in other watersheds.

A Comparative Analysis of Accountability Mechanisms for Ecosystem Services Markets in the United States and the European Union

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Glicksman ◽  
Thoko Kaime
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
European Union ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Performance Standards ◽  
The United States ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Market Manipulation ◽  
The European Union

AbstractMarkets in ecosystem services have the potential to provide financial incentives to protect the environment either in lieu of or in addition to more traditional regulatory programmes. If these markets function properly, they can provide enhanced levels of environmental quality or more efficient mechanisms for protecting natural resources that provide vital services to humans. The theoretical benefits of ecosystem services markets may be undercut, however, if care is not taken in creating the legal infrastructure that supports trading to ensure that trades actually provide the promised environmental benefits. This article identifies five essential pillars of an ecosystem services market regime that are necessary to provide operational accountability safeguards. These include financial safeguards, verifiable performance standards, transparency and public participation standards, regulatory oversight mechanisms, and rule of law safeguards. The article assesses whether the laws of the United States (US) and European Union (EU) are well designed to provide such accountability. It concludes that despite recognition of the risk of market manipulation and outright fraud, regulators in the US and the EU to date have responded to these risks largely in an ad hoc and incomplete fashion, rather than embedding the mechanisms for operational accountability discussed in this article into the regulatory framework that governs ecosystem services trading markets.

scholarly journals Integrating biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services into operational plan of community forest in Nepal : status and gaps

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. R. Thani ◽  
R. KC ◽  
B. K. Sharma ◽  
P. Kandel ◽  
K. Nepal
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Community Forestry ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Main Stream ◽  
Optimum Level ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
Operational Plan

After initiation of community forestry system in Nepal, the status of forest cover has improved due to significant roles of people in conservation, management and utilization of forest resources. As a result of increased productivity of the forest and restoration of degraded areas, forest users have been able to receive various economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits to strengthen their livelihood. Despite many positive outcomes of community forestry, there are still some factors which haven’t allowed the proper biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services maintenance. The study carried out on 100 operational plans from different parts of the country and it showed that the incorporation status of biodiversity and ecosystem services into community forest operational plan is worse despite the fact that such plan is the main component to lead the destination of any community forest. In addition to this, some gaps and challenges were observed in community forestry which have not favoured to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services management systematically at an optimum level. Among them, duplication problem of biodiversity and ecosystem services related issues in operational plan; timber oriented operational plan; limited provision about wildlife conservation and negative perception of people on wildlife and their conservation owing to human wildlife conflict; dominant socioeconomic factors; impact of introduced species, invasive and alien species; lacking in provision of adaptation and mitigation methods to cope with impact of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem services and shrinking of biological corridor due to habitat fragmentation were major issues. Besides this, to address these issues, it was also identified from the national consultation workshop of forest officials and experts that most appropriate uniform methods, measures and mechanisms are needed to be developed for the complete assessment, prioritization, analysis and development of action plans to main stream biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services management into operational plan of community forestry.

scholarly journals Shedding Light on Peri-Urban Ecosystem Services Using Automated Content Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 9182
Author(s):  
Gabriella Vindigni ◽  
Alexandros Mosca ◽  
Tommaso Bartoloni ◽  
Daniela Spina
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Ecosystems ◽  
Urban Ecosystem ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Urban Ecosystem Services ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Urban Core ◽  
Starting Point

The objective of this paper is to provide an overall perspective on peri-urban ecosystem services in European Countries. The phenomenon of urbanization affecting our era has seen the shift of the city from compact and well-defined structures to agglomerations with a seamless expansion. This has led to several environmental consequences that have affected the urbanized areas and the surroundings. The peri-urban areas may be the main urban design and planning challenge of the 21st century. These hybrid landscapes, characterized by high fragmentation, can be turned into opportunities to improve the sustainability and quality of urban areas, generating multiple economic, social and environmental benefits. Areas beyond the immediate urban core can be considered a zone of influence, which represent a critical resource in terms of provisioning, regulating, supporting services and cultural ecosystem services. Our study has been developed in the framework of the project “Fertile Lands, Fragile Lands” funded by the University of Catania. A multi-phased method has been applied, showing strong, heterogeneous ties between landscape and ecosystem services. While the importance of literature studies on this topic is well recognized, the same attention has not been placed on the tools and methods of conducting systematic and incremental literature reviews. Using Leximancer software, we propose a text mining approach to extract relevant themes and concepts as well as related topics of interest from identified literature on peri-urban ecosystems. We first introduce the overall methodology and then discuss each phase in detail. The outputs can be used as starting point for broad exploratory reviews and allow further exploration in this issue. The results show how the peri-urban space can be seen as a mosaic in which the settlement, the agricultural and the environmental systems interact and coexist, placing at the centre the relationship of reciprocity between the built environment and the open territory.

scholarly journals Assessing the profitability and sustainability of upland farming systems in Cambantoc subwatershed, Philippines

2021 ◽  
Vol 892 (1) ◽  
pp. 012066
Author(s):  
R M B Legaspi ◽  
E C B Toribio ◽  
E P L Yohanon ◽  
C D Predo ◽  
D G K Vergara
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Nutrient Loss ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Downstream Communities ◽  
Benefit Cost

Abstract Deforestation, forest and land degradation affect the provision of ecosystem services in the watersheds of Laguna Lake. The study site, Cambantoc Subwatershed, experiences unsustainable upland farming practices that worsen the flooding situation in the downstream areas. This study analyzed rice monocropping and agroforestry farming systems upstream based on measures of profitability, sustainability, and soil quality using the Benefit-Cost Analysis and Soil Changes Under Agroforestry (SCUAF) model. Data on the costs and benefits of the farming systems and the parameters used in calibrating the model were acquired through interviews and secondary data collection. The study found that monocropping is more profitable while agroforestry has better environmental benefits because it can minimize soil erosion and soil nutrient loss through time. Agroforestry is an ideal example of Nature-Based Solution to achieve sustainable farming and enhance the delivery of ecosystem services such as soil nutrient enrichment in the upstream farms and flood mitigation in the downstream areas. The results of this study can serve as a decision support for the policy makers to consider developing and implementing market-based instruments to capture the total benefits of agroforestry to both upland farmers and downstream communities.

scholarly journals Ecosystem Services Analysis for the Design of Regenerative Urban Built Environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Maibritt Pedersen Zari
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Built Environments ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Regenerative Design

<p>Humans will need to mitigate the causes of, and adapt to climate change and the loss of biodiversity, as the now inevitable impacts of these changes become more apparent and demand urgent responses. The built environment cannot solve these issues alone. Because it contributes significantly to these problems however, and because it is the main site of cultural and economic activities, it could potentially make a contribution to addressing these problems. Typical built environment focused responses to climate change and biodiversity issues are inadequate given the urgency and scale of the predicted impacts. They tend not to take advantage of the interconnected nature of the causes and effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. Aiming for ‘neutral’ environmental impact buildings in terms of energy, carbon, waste or water sets worthwhile and difficult targets. It is becoming clear however, that built environments may need to go beyond having little negative environmental impact in the future, to having positive environmental benefits. Regenerative design could be useful in this regard because it works to mitigate the causes of climate change and ecosystem degradation (and therefore biodiversity loss). Regenerative design ideally increases the health of ecosystems and resilience to change by utilising the mutually reinforcing aspects of mitigation, adaptation and restoration strategies. The goal of the research is to identify whether regenerative design is possible in urban settings, and to determine where key leverage points for system change may be within the built environment. Regenerative design is in need of further definition and exploration, and lacks quantitative evidence of its potential either by monitoring of built examples, or basic theoretical measurements. Regenerative design literature suggests that mimicking organisms or ecosystems could be an important part of such an approach to design. This is often termed ‘biomimicry’. The concept and practice of biomimicry is also in need of critical investigation for its potential contribution to increased sustainability outcomes. Different kinds of biomimicry exist in terms of type, underlying motivation, and environmental performance outcomes. The thesis examines current understandings of ecological systems in relation to the built environment, and aims to define an ecosystem biomimetic theory for the practical application of regenerative design in urban environments. In order to do this, ecosystem services are examined and potential key ecosystem services that are applicable to a built environment context are identified. The research primarily investigates one area of human knowledge (ecology and biology) for its transferable applicability to another (the urban built environment). Finally, the research determines how such theory could be practically applied to urban and architectural design and tests this through conducting a case study of an existing urban environment. It is posited that the incorporation of an understanding of the living world into architectural and urban design may be a step towards the creation of a built environment that is more sustainable or potentially regenerative, and one where the potential for restoration of natural carbon cycles is increased. Practical examples of this are given in chapter five. The outcome of such an endeavour depends on the wider context that the built environment is situated in, including the time left for action to be taken before the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss become extreme, and the inability of the dominant global financial system to allow rapid and widespread action to occur that effectively addresses these issues.</p>

scholarly journals Ecoturismo na região turística Caminho dos Ipês: conexões entre identidade biofílica e usufruto dos serviços ecossistêmicos

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Mamede ◽  
Maristela Benites ◽  
José Sabino ◽  
Cleber José Rodrigues Alho
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Natural Areas ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Visitor Perceptions ◽  
Tourist Region ◽  
Mato Grosso Do Sul

O turismo de contato com a natureza, quando adequadamente planejado e delineado com princípios de sustentabilidade, pode gerar benefícios socioeconômicos e ambientais que resultam na conservação da sociobiodiversidade. Este trabalho teve por objetivo analisar a percepção dos visitantes da rota turística Caminho dos Ipês, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil e sua motivação para a prática do ecoturismo nessa região. A investigação foi desenvolvida no período de maio de 2016 a abril de 2017. Para a coleta de dados foi aplicado um formulário semiestruturado que buscou identificar o perfil dos visitantes, os municípios mais visitados, a motivação para a visitação, as práticas consideradas ecoturísticas, os atrativos mais valorizados, os elementos da biodiversidade com os quais tiveram maior afinidade e o comprometimento com a conservação dos locais visitados. Os 118 turistas/excursionistas (60,3% mulheres e 39,7% homens) foram originários de 22 cidades brasileiras e de outros dois países (Argentina e Bélgica). Constatou-se que a capital Campo Grande é uma cidade-chave para roteiros integrados de ecoturismo na região devido à localização geográfica, capacidade logística e riqueza em atrativos naturais. Foi registrado que 95% dos visitantes dessa região turística se consideram comprometidos com a conservação e proteção das áreas visitadas. Entre as motivações para a prática do ecoturismo em áreas naturais constata-se uma convergência entre biofilia e valorização dos serviços ecossistêmicos oferecidos pela natureza. O bem-estar provocado por vivenciar os ambientes naturais foi o motivo mais abordado pelos visitantes para a prática do ecoturismo (53,4%), seguido da percepção de sentir-se parte integrante da natureza (50,8%). Os participantes afirmaram que suas preferências ao visitarem áreas naturais em geral são: paisagem (59,3%), água: corredeiras e cachoeiras (48,3%), aves (39,8%), mamíferos (27,1%) e répteis (16,9%). No entanto, o que mais os atraíram para a região turística Caminho dos Ipês foram: riqueza de animais silvestres (44,9%), abundância de água (37,2%), as características do bioma Cerrado (36,4%) e o relevo (30,5%). As práticas mais exercidas nos ambientes naturais visitados foram: contemplação (47,4%), fotografia (39%), observação da vida silvestre (33%), caminhada (33%) e birdwatching (18,6%). Conclui-se que o ecoturismo pode ser uma estratégia positiva para gerar e aprimorar vínculos afetivos com a natureza, bem como para reconhecer e valorizar os serviços ecossistêmicos. Ecotourism in the tourist region Caminho dos Ipês: connections between biophilic identity and use of ecosystem services ABSTRACT The tourism of contact with nature, when properly planned and outlined with principles of sustainability, can generate socio-economic and environmental benefits that result in conservation of sociobiodiversity. The objective of this work was to analyze the perception of the visitors of the Caminho dos Ipês tourist route, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and their motivation to practice ecotourism in this region. The research was carried out from May 2016 to April 2017. A semistructured questionnaire survey was applied to collect data, which sought to identify the profile of visitors, the most visited municipality, the motivation for visitation and practices considered ecotourism, the attractions more valued, the elements of biodiversity with which they had greater affinity and the compromise with the conservation of the visited places. The 118 tourists/excursionists (60.3% women and 39.7% men) originated in 22 Brazilian cities and two other countries (Argentina and Belgium). It was found that the capital Campo Grande is a key city for integrated ecotourism itineraries in the region due to its geographic location, logistic capacity and richness in natural attractions. We recorded that 95% of the visitors of this tourist region consider themselves committed to the conservation and protection of the areas visited. Among the motivations for the practice of ecotourism in natural areas is a convergence between biophilia and appreciation of ecosystem services offered by nature. The well-being generated by experiencing natural environments was the reason most approached by visitors for the practice of ecotourism (53.4%), followed by the perception of pertencing of nature (50.8%). The participants stated that their preferences when visiting natural areas in general are: landscape (59.3%), water: rapids waters and waterfalls (48.3%), birds (39.8%), mammals (27.1%) and reptiles (16.9%). However, what attracted them to the Caminho dos Ipês region were: wild animal wealth (44.9%), abundance of water (37.2%), characteristics of the Cerrado biome (36.4%) and relief (30.5%). The most practiced practices in the natural environments visited were: contemplation (47.4%), photography (39%), wildlife observation (33%), trekking (33%) and birdwatching (18.6%). It is concluded that ecotourism can be a positive strategy to generate and improve affective bonds with nature, as well as to recognize and value ecosystem services. KEYWORDS: Biophilia; Visitor Perceptions; Contemplative Tourism; Natural Environments; Mato Grosso do Sul.

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