Abstract
To aid political and institutional decision making in the sustainable use of natural resources the value of ecological, socio-cultural and economic assets has increasingly been communicated in terms of monetary units. Despite reliance upon natural resources, the impact of human activities has now reached a stage where cumulative losses are forcing society to re-appraise the evaluation process and how to better incorporate these values in to the decision-making process. This paper examines the attributes of value held by natural resources within ecological, socio-cultural and economic value domains from the perspective of a rural UK community. Here we reflect upon the continued primacy of monetary valuation of natural resource using two approaches, a scaled preference-based value typology and a place-based map measure. We demonstrate that the societal relationships which inform the evaluation of natural resources are both multi-faceted and hierarchical. Moreover, whilst aware of the utilitarian character of society’s relationship with natural resource, the societal value-for-natural-resource relationship is primarily expressed using social-ecological qualities. These results add weight to the call for a new approach towards natural resource evaluation and how these values contribute to the sustainability agenda. New methods of evaluation must adopt multiple values that extend beyond a solely economic-based commodification concern to encompass the human relationship with the resource itself. Wherein, a multi-faceted approach to attributing value to natural resource, set within an experiential framework, can provide a focal point for discussion and the decision-making process.
Highlights
Despite human reliance upon natural resources and the capacity of ecosystems to provide essential goods and services (Vitousek et al 1997; Haberl et al 2007), the loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystems continues on a large scale (Butchart et al 2010)
This paper examines the attributes of value given to natural resources within ecological, socio-cultural, and economic value domains from the perspective of a rural UK community
Taking two approaches – a scaled preferencebased value typology and a place-based map measure – we investigate the multi-faceted nature of value through the relationship community holds with natural resource in a local landscape context
Summary
Despite human reliance upon natural resources and the capacity of ecosystems to provide essential goods and services (Vitousek et al 1997; Haberl et al 2007), the loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystems continues on a large scale (Butchart et al 2010). A growing awareness of neglecting the importance of the life-sustaining connection between the natural world, natural resources and societal decision-making processes has led to the development of the ecosystem services concept, which has become the leading paradigm exploring the human-nature relationship (Lele et al 2013). Out of these discussions ideas of finitude, resilience, diversity, equity and sustainability arise. IPBES (Inter-Governmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) has a wider remit to conceptualize values of biodiversity and ecosystem services from a broad multidisciplinary point
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