Spatial cost–benefit thinking in multi-functional forestry; towards a framework for spatial targeting of policy interventions

Abstract

Many countries now actively encourage land use change for the provision of multiple benefits, specifically including non-market benefits. Often such policies have been poorly designed because of a lack of understanding of the spatial distribution of the potential costs and–especially–non-market benefits from land use change. As with market goods, the potential yield of non-market goods and services from land use can be highly spatially variable. In recent years, more and more studies on the economic aspects of natural resources have started to make use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS). What is yet lacking is the systematic adoption of a framework for the spatial targeting of policy interventions which can be used to improve decision making in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, equity or public acceptability. This paper uses existing studies in forestry to present such a framework and discusses its potential uses and limitations as a new standard tool to inform multi-functional land use decisions.