Estimating land market values from real estate offers: A replicable method in support of biodiversity conservation strategies.

Abstract

While cost estimation is a very positive tool for spatial conservation prioritisation, there are few examples where costs (in monetary terms) are applied. We present a repeatable method to estimate and map field values in monetary terms using common correlative models. We modelled, with a resolution of 1km2, the information obtained by several real estate's agencies with a set of eleven environmental, climatic, and anthropogenic variables. Land cover was the main influencing factor, but further variables were affecting bids on field sales according to the socio-economic specificity of each administrative province. The estimated values were related to endemic plant species richness, their conservation status and altitudinal ranges. Richest areas in endemics have lower values given current market conditions and, within these endemic rich areas, values near the coast were generally higher than the rest of endemic-rich territories. Despite their limits, our method offers an alternative perspective on the challenges of simplifying the extrapolation of useful information for planning and disseminating the conservation of many ecosystem services providers.