Value Of Forest Ecosystem Services Research Articles

Integrating monetary and non-monetary valuation for ecosystem services in Piatra Craiului national park, Southern Carpathians: a comprehensive approach to sustainability and conservation

The concept of ecosystem services and their valuation has gained significant attention in recent years due to the profound interdependence and interconnectedness between humans and ecosystems. As several studies on valuation of forest ecosystem services have stressed the human-nature interactions lately, in the research study area, the environmental conditions shows rapid changes while human pressures on forests intensify. Thus, the research questions are as follows: (i) what are the the monetary and non-monetary value of ecosystem services provided by forests in Piatra Craiului National Park and (ii) their relationship with other variables, focusing on identifying differences and resemblances between each approach. The R PASTECS package was utilized to analyze primary statistical indicators for both monetary and non-monetary values, revealing significant variability in the results (s% monetary 141% and s% non-monetary 62%). Both monetary and non-monetary assessments were computed at the management unit level and the data used was provided by the Forest Management plans and photograph analysis which have significant value as indicators of ecosystem services. The correlation between nature and culture was assessed through social-media based method, highly known to stimulate participant engagement while the quantitative data was assessed through forest data computation and PCA method for visualization. The research highlighted that, in monetary terms, the minimum value of identified ecosystem services was €34 and the maximum value exceeded €570,000 at management unit level and in non-monetary terms, the values ranged from 1 to 5 (kernel score). The research reveals a substantial variability in both types of valuations. Strong associations between certain variables (monetary value with carbon stock and stand volume), moderate connections (slope with stand productivity), and weaker relationships (non-monetary value with altitude, age with slope, type of flora with altitude, and altitude with stand productivity) were revealed. The findings provided valuable insights for policymakers, land managers, and stakeholders involved in natural resource management and conservation, emphasizing the importance of considering both economic and non-economic benefits in decision-making processes. The integrated approach of this study shows how we can better assess the mixed value of ecosystem services, contributing to the ongoing actions of raising awareness and social responsibility.

Evaluating the impact of land use and land cover changes on forest ecosystem service values using landsat dataset in the Atwima Nwabiagya North, Ghana

This study investigated land use and land cover (LULC) changes and its impact on forest ecosystem service values for 20 years in the Atwima Nwabaiagya North District using Landsat images of 2002, 2012 and 2022. Supervised classification with Maximum Likelihood Algorithm was used to classify the Landsat images. Five LULC types (high-dense forest, low-dense forest, water, bare-ground, and Built-up area) were successfully classified, with overall accuracies of 99.0 % and Kappa coefficients of 0.99. The result of the study showed a reduction of high-dense forest to 23.87 %, low-dense forest to 26.53 %, and water areas as 1.16 % whereas built-up (21.44 %) and bare-ground (27 %) experienced an expansion in their land areas. Related literatures and ecological assets value table with adjusted price value were used to evaluate ecosystem service values in response to LULC changes. The study discovered that ecosystem service value for high and low-dense forests have declined from USD 22.68 million and USD 8.75 million to USD 14.56 million and USD 5.2 million respectively. The overall total ecosystem service value declined by USD 33.73 million in 2002 to USD 21.91 million in 2022. It was revealed that the most notable feature to changes in forest ecosystem service values was the expansion of built-up and bare-grounds. There is a need to curb the current drivers of LULC changes in the Atwima Nwabiagya North to stop further forest degradation for optimum delivery of forest ecosystem service values in the district. For land use planners and decision makers who need site-specific information on the effects of LULC alterations on values of forest ecosystem services, the study's findings are essential. This will make it easier to track past environmental changes and obtain quick, accurate results for use in decision-making.

Donor-side valuation of forest ecosystem services in China during 1990–2020

Donor-side valuation of forest ecosystem services in China during 1990–2020

A review on the integrative approach for economic valuation of forest ecosystem services

Forests have the most biodiversity and provide vital ecosystem services. They offer numerous forest-related services, some of which can be commercialized. This improves social, cultural, health, and scientific life. Nonmarketable and intangible services are discounted because people think they're endless and free. Humans have changed the natural and social worlds through using resources and improving well-being. Public and private decision-makers often compete over natural capital. The loss of biodiversity, climate change, and global warming are interconnected with social development and ensuring an acceptable level of well-being for the majority of humanity, making it difficult for a single, individual approach to estimating the value of these goods and services to generate and support decisions and policies in these complex areas. The complexity of ecosystem products and services requires an integrated assessment with cutting-edge technologies and approaches using a pluralist framework of heterogeneous values. This evaluation should encompass costs and benefits of several ecosystem commodity and service applications. These usage' effects on economic, social, and cultural advancement are also crucial. The extensive and thorough enthronization of natural ecosystems can affect the amount and quality of ecosystem goods and services; thus, it is vital to quantify the complicated inverse effect from civilization to nature. Studies show that incorporating sustainability sciences approaches into an integrative assessment approach may be vital to environmental policy in the future.

FOREST ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND THEIR VALUATION IN MIZORAM, THE EASTERN EXTENSION OF THE HIMALAYA

This paper examines forest ecosystem services and their valuation in Mizoram, the eastern extension of the Himalaya. This study was conducted by applying two approaches – qualitative and quantitative. The data were mainly gathered from secondary sources – the State of Environment Report of Mizoram, Aizawl, and the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Aizawl, Mizoram. Data on wetlands within the forest areas were also gathered from the Forest Survey of India 2019. Field observation was conducted to verify the data on the ground. The author visited several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries and observed the rich forest ecosystem services. Mizoram obtains a rich floral diversity ranging from tropical wet forests to sub-temperate wet and dry forests and montane evergreen forests. About 86% of the total geographical area is covered by forest. Of which, 50% forest area is covered by bamboo forests. Here, bamboo has 27 species. The valuation of forest ecosystem services – tangible and intangible was carried out and benefits from different forest products were calculated. The study reveals that Mizoram has a very high value in ecosystem services. The annual valuation of tangible ecosystem services was noted from fuelwood, followed by timber, small wood, and poles. In terms of annual valuation of intangible ecosystem services, the highest was from pollination, followed by food and livelihood security, and prevention of soil erosion, and landslides. However, the use of ecosystem services is just negligible. Most of the services are unused. Even, tourism, mainly natural and eco-tourism has high potential but it is not developed yet. If the ecosystem services are used sustainably, the rural poor can enhance their livelihood, and the state government can earn sufficient revenue.

The effects of forest types and age groups on forest provisioning and supporting service value in Sanhu Nature Reserve, Northeast China

The promotion of forest resource protection and sustainable development relies greatly on the value of forest ecosystem services. In Jilin Songhuajiang Sanhu National Nature Reserve in Northeast China, a total of 169 sample plots were examined and analyzed to evaluate the provisioning and supporting services provided by the forest ecosystem. The study revealed that the near-mature and over-mature Fraxinus mandshurica forest have relatively high timber supply and species resources conservation values per unit area, respectively. Furthermore, the mature Betula platyphylla forest has the highest forest nutrient retention value, while the near-mature Juglans mandshurica forest has the highest soil conservation value, with the nitrogen fixation value accounting for the highest proportion. The forest ecosystem services in the reserve have a total value of 659.07 million $⋅y–1. The main contributors to the value are the services of soil fertilizer conservation, timber supply, and species resources conservation, with the mixed broad-leaved forest and Quercus mongolica forest being the main contributors, accounting for 63.1 and 18.8% of the total value, respectively. Nonetheless, the service value of per unit area in J. mandshurica forest is the highest. Near-mature and mature forests are the main contributors to the total value, accounting for 42.3 and 34.9%, respectively. Forest lands exhibit significant variations in the values of provisioning and supporting services across different stand types and age groups.

Review of Valuation of Forest Ecosystem Services and Realization Approaches in China

Forests are essential for the provision of water, financial resources, food, and carbon, and offer immense ecosystem service values. The accurate, quantitative, and objective evaluation of forest ecosystem service (FES) values can help uncover methods for realizing ecological product value, which in turn supports forest conservation and ecological benefit enhancement. In China, FES valuation methods are diverse and tailored to specific objectives, encompassing matter quantity assessment, value quantity assessment, energy value analysis, and landscape ecological modeling methods. The “Forest Ecosystem Service Function Assessment Specification” guideline plays a crucial role in fostering standardized valuation. Carbon-related ecosystem services have been increasingly studied in China; however, valuation challenges remain, including data accuracy, the double counting of ecosystem services, methodological limitations, and the incomplete assessment of non-use values. Regarding value realization, the development of payment for ecosystem services (PES), ecological product benefit trading (EPBT), ecological premiums, and ecological industries has seen gradual progresses in recent years. However, realization approaches still depend on government support, and the establishment of market-oriented strategies requires further reinforcement. Enhancing FES valuation necessitates the integration of interdisciplinary and multi-method approaches, as well as the creation of an accounting and assessment mechanism. Realization approaches must not only be continuously expanded but also consistently innovated over time. It is essential to consider the impact of market development on FES valuation; establish robust realization approaches; reinforce promotional and guarantee mechanisms; and increase the efficacy of policy management.

Research Assessment on the Supply and Demand for Forest Ecosystem Services: The Case of Zhuxi County

A refined assessment of small-scale to medium-scale forest ecosystem services based on the unique geographical conditions of Zhuxi County provides a basis for decision-making to create a regional green development strategy for the county. The specifications for assessing forest ecosystem services (GB/T38582-2020) were followed to calculate the supply of forest ecosystem services in Zhuxi County using the physical quantity method and the value quantity method, and the demand was calculated using the standard value comparison method. The total supply value of forest ecosystem services in 2020 in Zhuxi County was 35,677,894,500 yuan·a−1. In terms of the value of each service, the value of water containment was the largest, accounting for 41.08%, and the value of forest recreation was the smallest, accounting for only 1.36%. The value per unit area of the local broadleaf–mixed forest in Zhuxi County was the largest, at 140,658.65 yuan·a−1, while the value of the fir forest was the smallest, at 89,181.32 yuan·a−1. The comprehensive supply–demand ratio of forest ecosystem services in Zhuxi County was 1.54, which means a moderate surplus; the supply–demand ratio of supply services was 1.27, which means a slight surplus; the supply–demand ratio of adjustment services was 1.34, which means a slight surplus; the supply–demand ratio of support services was 1.13, which means a slight surplus; and the supply–demand ratio of cultural services was 6.01, which means a high surplus. The supply–demand ratio of cultural services of forest ecosystem services in Zhuxi County was the largest and that of the support services was the smallest. From an overall perspective, the supply of forest ecosystem services in Zhuxi County in 2020 was relatively abundant and sufficient to meet local people’s demand for forest ecosystem services. In the future, some goals may include: (1) improving management capacity of forest resources and the quality of forest resources; (2) increasing the value of forest ecological services per unit area; (3) using mixed-forest planting to transform low-value tree species; (4) developing the supply capacity of forest ecological services; (5) enhancing the reprocessing industry of forest products; and (6) expanding the output of nonforest products. A good ecological defence must be established to achieve the sustainable management of forest resources.

Comparação de métodos de avaliação de valor de serviços de ecossistemas florestais: um estudo de caso na província de Sichuan, China

ABSTRACT: The survival of human and sustainable development of the society both closely rely on forest ecosystem services. Employing two different methods, this paper based on benefit transfer method calculated the forest ecosystem services value of Sichuan province, China. The results showed that the total forest ecosystem services value had a steady rate of increase in Sichuan province from 2008 to 2018, and meanwhile, the different evaluation methods resulted in significant deviation of estimation outcomes. This paper considered the differences of biomass and socioeconomic development which were ignored in prior studies. The Carnegie-Ames-Stanford approach was employed to estimate the net primary productivity of different forest species. Further, the S type R. Pearl growth curve was employed to estimate people’s willingness and ability to pay for forest ecosystem services. This paper provided implications to help forest managers and policy makers pay additional attention to the evaluation systems choosing on forest ecosystem services value and the differences of biomass and socioeconomic development by using benefit transfer method method.

ECONOMIC VALUE OF WILDLIFE SANCTUARY: A CASE STUDY FROM THE WESTERN GHATS IN KARNATAKA, INDIA

Goods and services of the ecosystem provided by the natural environment have not been considered in terms of their economic value. There are a number of studies that have estimated the economic value of forest ecosystem services in India, but very few studies have estimated these economic values of other important ecosystem services. Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary (BRTWLS) is a unique place as a bridge between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats in Karnataka, India. There are 12,500 Soligas (tribal community) living in this area. Non-timber forest products constitute more than 60% of the Soliga household income. A number of studies have been conducted in the BRTWLS. However, there is a lack of studies on the economic value. The primary objective of this study is to estimate the value of ecosystem services provided by BRTWLS. This study has used the market price methods for estimating the value of provisioning services and individual travel cost method for estimating the value of recreation services, while the value of carbon sequestration and soil erosion prevention has been estimated based on secondary data. This study has estimated the total annual value of provisioning, regulating and cultural services of BRTWLS at Rs 23.9 million y-1. The findings of the study will be helpful to the local policy makers to increase the entry fee at the BRTWLS, as it provides valuable ecosystem services and reinvests the same in natural capital to achieve environmental sustainability at the local level.

Estimation of the Value of Forest Ecosystem Services in Pudacuo National Park, China

Forest ecosystems play an important role in maintaining the stability of the biosphere and improving the ecological environment. The valuation of forest ecosystem services provides data to support the implementation of forest ecosystem conservation and the development of ecological-compensation standards. We used multiple sources of data, such as remote-sensing and ground data, and we employed the methods of substitute market, shadow project, and contingent valuation. We valued the forest ecosystem services of Pudacuo National Park in Shangri-La, China, which consisted of six functions: soil conservation, forest nutrient retention, water conservation, carbon fixation and oxygen released, forest health care, and atmospheric environmental purification. The results showed that: the value of forest ecological services in Pudacuo National Park was 4.49 × 109 yuan·a−1, with higher values of carbon fixation and oxygen released, water conservation, and forest health care, in the following order: carbon fixation and oxygen released (3.85 × 109 yuan·a−1), water conservation (3.40 × 108 yuan·a−1), forest health care (1.44 × 108 yuan·a−1), soil conservation (1.15 × 108 yuan·a−1), forest nutrient retention (3.29 × 107 yuan·a−1), and atmosphere environmental purification (1.17 × 107 yuan·a−1). In addition, the value of services per stand and unit area is discussed, and the results of the study will inform the government’s ecological-compensation criteria in high-quality environmental areas.

VALUASI NILAI EKONOMI FUNGSI HIDROLOGIS CAGAR ALAM BUKIT BUNGKUK DI DESA MERANGIN KABUPATEN KAMPAR

One of the causes of forest destruction by humans is their lack of understanding of the economic value of forest ecosystem services. One of the forest ecosystem services is water management services. In order to encourage people to protect forests, they need to be given knowledge about the economic value of forest water that is used daily. The Bukit Bungkuk Nature Reserve is a conservation area in Riau Province. From this area flow three tributaries to the Merangin Village area. This study aims to calculate the economic value of the hydrological function of the Bukit Bungkuk CA area as a provider of household water for the Merangin Village community. The research was conducted by measuring river water discharge and using a questionnaire to calculate household water use. Based on the results of the study, it is known that the amount of water used is 125.0015 m3/day. The price of PDAM Tirta Kampar water is Rp. 4.500/m3, the economic value of water from Bukit Bungkuk Nature Reserve in Merangin Village is Rp. 562,506.72/day or Rp. 205,314,953/year. While the total economic value of water is Rp. 536,371,015,5 /day or Rp. 195,775,420,657/year.

Assessing Changes in the Value of Forest Ecosystem Services in Response to Climate Change in China

Ecosystem services are the basis of human survival and development and play an irreplaceable role in maintaining the dynamic balance of the earth’s life support system and environment. This study evaluated the annual forest ecosystem service values (ESVs) and their spatial evolution characteristics from 2001 to 2020 in China and revealed the impact of climatic factors as well. The equivalent factor method was applied to calculate ESVs in combination with net primary productivity (NPP) calculated by the CASA model. The water conservation results based on the InVEST model and equivalent factor method were compared to test the reliability of the method. From 2001 to 2020, the annual forest ESVs ranged from RMB 9.17 trillion to 10.81 trillion, with an average of RMB 9.99 trillion in China. The forest ESVs increased from the northwest to the southeast regions of China with the lowest values of less than RMB 3 million per square kilometer and relatively high values of more than RMB 9 million per square kilometer. In the past 20 years, the forest ESVs have shown a significant increasing trend, especially in the Northeast Forest Region and Southeast Forest Region. The ESVs have decreased only in very few forest areas such as Cuona and Motuo counties on the southern edge of Tibet Province in Southwest China and Pingtung and Kaohsiung counties in southern Taiwan. The mean annual forest ESV was necessarily higher in the recent 10 years (2011–2020, RMB 10.43 trillion) than in the previous 10 years (2001–2010, RMB 9.55 trillion), while the spatial growth rate was usually less than 20%. The annual forest ESVs were significantly correlated with temperature, precipitation and evapotranspiration but not with sunshine hours and relative humidity across the 20 years. In most areas (>60%), the positive impact of various climatic factors was dominant, and the area positively affected by precipitation was the largest (76%). The mean annual forest water conservation from 2001 to 2020 was RMB 1.46 trillion based on the InVEST model and was RMB 1.77 trillion based on the equivalent factor method. Overall, the results obtained by the two methods are roughly equal and mostly spatially matched. This study has some guiding significance for utilizing resources rationally, strengthening ecological environment protection and improving adaptability to climate change.

A Proposal for a Forest Digital Twin Framework and Its Perspectives

The increasing importance of forest ecosystems for human society and planetary health is widely recognized, and the advancement of data collection technologies enables new and integrated ways for forest ecosystems monitoring. Therefore, the target of this paper is to propose a framework to design a forest digital twin (FDT) that, by integrating different state variables at both tree and forest levels, creates a virtual copy of the forest. The integration of these data sets could be used for scientific purposes, for reporting the health status of forests, and ultimately for implementing sustainable forest management practices on the basis of the use cases that a specific implementation of the framework would underpin. Achieving such outcomes requires the twinning of single trees as a core element of the FDT by recording the physical and biotic state variables of the tree and of the near environment via real–virtual digital sockets. Following a nested approach, the twinned trees and the related physical and physiological processes are then part of a broader twinning of the entire forest realized by capturing data at forest scale from sources such as remote sensing technologies and flux towers. Ultimately, to unlock the economic value of forest ecosystem services, the FDT should implement a distributed ledger-based on blockchain and smart contracts to ensure the highest transparency, reliability, and thoroughness of the data and the related transactions and to sharpen forest risk management with the final goal to improve the capital flow towards sustainable practices of forest management.

Capturing multiple forest ecosystem services for just benefit sharing: The Basket of Benefits Approach

Forests generate a range of ecosystem services at global, local and regional scales but deforestation and forest degradation is increasing in many regions of the world, with primary forests under particular threat. At the same time, the communities that own and live in and around these forests are seeking incomes for development in an increasingly globalised world. The failure to comprehensively recognise, demonstrate and capture the value of the ecosystem services of forests, means that forests are seen primarily as a source of timber, or forest land as simply an opportunity for agriculture and mining. Forest communities, that have often harnessed the forest for centuries, are often faced with a false choice between conservation and development. A number of mechanisms exist to create incomes from the forest through more sustainable activities that recognise and seek to capture forest ecosystem service benefits beyond timber. This paper examines the literature on four key mechanisms – (i) forest certification, (ii) non-timber forest products, ecotourism and eco-labelling, (iii) payments for ecosystems services and (iv) forest carbon mitigation schemes (reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation) to determine how they recognise, demonstrate and capture ecosystem services and to identify their strengths, weaknesses opportunities and threats. It is argued that while the mechanisms recognise multiple ecosystem services, they struggle to demonstrate their value, and thus ineffectively capture them in forest management and income-generation for forest stewards. The paper uses the analysis to propose the essential requirements of a ‘Basket of Benefits Approach’ that provides guidance for more comprehensive valuation of forest ecosystem services, inclusive of ecosystem integrity, that enables just benefit sharing. This Approach considers all the benefits and the beneficiaries to be within the ‘basket’, and therefore that agreement on values and equitable sharing of the benefits, through participatory planning and governance, is essential

An Analysis of the Worldwide Research on the Socio-Cultural Valuation of Forest Ecosystem Services

The socio-cultural valuation of forest ecosystem services is a useful tool to generate knowledge and help balance the different interests of stakeholders with respect to the management of these services. The aim of this study is to analyse the evolution of global research on the economic valuation of forest ecosystem services through a review of the existing literature on this topic. The results show that socio-cultural valuation has gained importance in recent years. There is a wide disparity between the countries conducting the research and those being studied. Inconsistency has been observed in the definition and classification of services provided by forests, as well as a lack of unanimity on the reference framework to be applied. The main methodological approaches in the socio-cultural valuation of forest services are participatory mapping, social media analysis, the Q method and free listing. For the collection of primary information, the dominant methodologies are focus groups, semi-structured interviews and online surveys. Finally, this study demonstrates that socio-cultural valuation has great potential to improve the legitimacy of forest ecosystem management decisions and to promote consensus building.

Socio-environmental determinants of the perceived value of moist Afromontane forest ecosystem services in Kaffa Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia

The perceived value of Forest Ecosystem Services (FES) varies according to cultural, socio-economic, and environmental conditions. A scientific understanding of how these determinants interact and determine the perceived values of the local community of FES is beneficial for the planning and management of forest resources. This study aimed at contributing to this knowledge gap by examining the impacts of socio-environmental variables for the perceived use-value variation of FES. The sample sites were selected using a stratified sampling method. The data were collected through a social survey with face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. The results were analyzed using the general linear model, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Mann-Whitney U, and the Kruskal-Wallis test (χ2). For the general assessment, the respondents were provided with a list of 26 FES as stipulated in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Framework. The results illustrated that the Afromontane moist forests offer multiple Ecosystem Services (ES) that could provide social, economic, and physical well-being to residents. The local community prioritized provisioning and regulatory over cultural and supporting ES. The χ2 result showed that only the length of stay and age of the respondents significantly determined variation in the perceived value of FES. The CFA score suggests that a strong correlation was found between cultural, regulatory, and supportive ES. Overall, the respondents mentioned freshwater, climate regulation, and air quality regulation as the most important FES. In summary, the study helps to highlight the impacts of socio-environmental variables on the perceived value of FES and the need to integrate local values into the policy-making process.

Economic Valuation of Forest Ecosystem Services in Kenya: Implication for Design of PES Schemes and Participatory Forest Management

Forest ecosystem services are critical for human well-being as well as functioning and growth of economies. However, despite the growing demand for these services, they are hardly given due consideration in public policy formulation. The values attached to these services by local communities are also generally unknown in developing countries. Using a case study of the Mau forest conservancy the study applied a choice experiment technique employing the efficient design criteria to value salient forest ecosystem services among forest adjacent communities. The values attached to various ecosystem services were estimated using the conditional logit, random parameter logit model and random parameter logit model with interactions. The results revealed high level of preference heterogeneity across households and that communities would prefer conservation programs that would guarantee them improved forest cover, reduced flood risk and high water quality and quantity for drinking but would experience a loss in welfare for choosing an alternative with medium wildlife population. One significant finding from the study is the altruistic nature of forest adjacent communities as revealed by the high willingness to pay for flood mitigation showing that they are not just concerned with the private benefits accruing to them but also the welfare of the society. Overall, we found that there is much appreciation for the role of forest ecosystem services and that forest adjacent communities are more pro conservation mainly motivated by the direct use and non-use values. In terms of policy, the information forms a basis for the design of market based incentives such as PES and the roll out, design and implementation of participatory forest management. Policy makers also need to focus on policy options with higher mean welfare impacts to deepen community involvement in forest conservation while taking into account the heterogeneity in preferences to ensure equity.

Valuation of Forest Ecosystem Services in Taiwan

Forest is the largest ecosystem in the land area of Taiwan. In the past, most of the studies on the evaluation of forest ecosystem services were regional, and therefore lacked national assessment. This study uses a market value method and a benefit transfer method to assess the value of the forest ecosystem services in Taiwan, and expounds the link between ecosystem services and the effectiveness of forestry management and conservation. Preliminarily, it is estimated that the total value of forest ecosystem services in 2016 was approximately NT $749,278 million (equal to approximately 47.6 billion U.S. dollars, PPP-corrected), accounting for 4.28% of the GDP in 2016. The quotation of unit price data has a huge impact on the final assessment results of forest ecosystem service value, and therefore it is necessary use it appropriately.

Methodological approaches to the valuation of forest ecosystem services: An overview of recent international research trends

Forests represent the most important source of ecosystem services (ES) on a global level both for the production of goods and for the provision of services and externalities, nevertheless scientific research in the economic field is lacking. Currently the number of documents relating to ES is 16 673, of which only 1 379 concern the forestry sector. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of scientific research trends in the field of economic evaluation of forest ecosystem services (FES). To this end, an on-line bibliographic survey was carried out on the main scientific search engines, which made it possible to quantify the works and at the same time to detect the main evaluation methods used for the different FES. This survey allowed to collect 93 articles meeting the search criteria: the most active continents were Europe and Asia, whereas most of the articles focused on the joint evaluation of provisioning, regulation and cultural services, even if a good number of them only concerned cultural services. The most widely used valuation methodologies were the contingent valuation among the stated preference techniques and the market price among direct observation criteria.