CO2

Valuing Virginia’sECOSYSTEMServices

Provisioning

Types of Ecosystem Services…………

Regulating Cultural

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment found that 60% of ecosystem services are being degraded or used unsustainably

Degraded Mixed EnhancedProvisioning

• Capture fisheries• Wild foods• Biomass fuel• Genetic resources• Biochemicals, natural

medicines, & pharmaceuticals• Freshwater

Timber and wood fiber Other fibers (e.g., cotton,

hemp, silk)

Crops Livestock Aquaculture

Regulating • Air quality regulation• Regional & local climate

regulation• Erosion regulation• Water purification & waste

treatment• Pest regulation• Pollination• Natural hazard regulation

Water regulation Disease regulation

Global climate regulation (carbon sequestration)

Cultural • Spiritual, religious, or cultural heritage values

• Aesthetic values

Recreation & ecotourism

Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005

Ecosystem Services: Value for Who?

Value to Landowner:Marketed services

Food

Value to Society:Non marketed services

Flood controlFresh water

Climate regulation

Fiber Fuel

Water filtrationClimate regulationWater regulationFresh waterErosion controlStorm protectionViewsheds

Timber, Food, Fish, Fuel

Erosion control

Externalities

Decision Making Process

Land Value Cost

Land Clearing Costs

Building Constructio

n Costs

CARBON

AIR

BIODIVERSITY

WATER

How do we price the ecosystem services and benefits?

•Taxes (land-use)

•Best Management Practice (BMP) cost-share

•Protected areas (conservation easements, public land acquisition)

•User fees (park visitation)

•Cap and Trade programs (pollution emissions)

•Land-use policy (zoning)

•Certification Programs designed to insure sustainability

•Eco-labeling

•Legislation (wetlands, endangered & threatened species)

So what’s missing?

3 Million More People1 Million Fewer Forest Acres

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2005 2030 2005 2030

VA Population VA Forest Land

We have choices to make…

Stormwater Management Strategies

Virginia LandownerCarbon Sequestration Project

18 acres afforested

Riparian Buffer to be planted –

12 acres

Nutrient Credit

Trading Project

8 acres

Wetlands

Mitigation Project –

11 acres87 acres total forested acres

in municipal watershed

Hardwood Stand – 400 MBF

Beef Cattle Operation

Hay Production

“conservation will ultimately boil down to rewarding the private landowner who conserves the public interest.” -

Aldo Leopold

Water Quality Efforts(Sediment Load & Nutrient Load Reduction)

Sediment Load Reduction – Infiltration

• Practices– Afforestation– Stream restoration work

• Potential Applications– Municipal water supplies (reservoir life, treatment costs)– Stormwater management– TMDLs

Thank You

Buck Kline

Virginia Department of Forestry

900 Natural Resources Drive

Charlottesville, VA 22903

PHONE: 434-220-9035

E-MAIL: buck.kline@dof.virginia.gov