ASSESSMENT OF THE ECOSYSTEM ASSETS OF THE NATURE PROTECTED AREAS FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Background. Assessing ecosystems in terms of their contribution to the human welfare is one of the ways to achieve goals of sustainable development, comprising an important task for the community planning and development. Therefore, the goals of sustainable development at the local level are achieved via employing all types of local resources in particular, in the nature protected areas taking into account the value of ecosystem assets and ecosystem services produced by them for the benefit of the local communities. Moreover, ecosystem assessment of the nature protected areas is a key issue while creating economic incentives to motivate communities to preserve the environment. Methods. To assess the cost of ecosystem services and ecosystem assets in the nature protected area, a methodological approach to estimate the overall economic value of ecosystems was used. A combination of the relevant assessment methods of the ecosystem services and assets was employed. Results. As a result of the study, an algorithm was developed for assessing ecosystem assets of the nature protected areas of communities. The principal structural components of assessment were defined including valuation of ecosystem services produced by assets of nature protected areas and that of the components of the local ecosystem asset of a particular territorial community. For the first time in Ukraine, the total value of the ecosystem assets of protected areas of communities was calculated using the basic data for the "Bug Guard" nature park in Blagodatnenskaya community of the Pervomaisky district of the Mykolayiv region. Conclusions. The assessments are shown to allow to substantiate the economic efficiency of investments in the environmental complex in order to preserve biodiversity, compare the costs and benefits of the ecosystem services as well as to estimate amount of the compensation payments. The calculations are of great practical significance for community planning and development. Moreover, taking into consideration an enormous challenge facing Ukraine under military operations at present, the calculations carried out can be used to assess the damage caused to the ecosystems of the nature protected areas.