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Alternative Approach and Toolkits for Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services of Wetlands: an Application to Farlington Marshes, UK (9222)

Carlos Brett (Venezuela) and Isaac Boateng (United Kingdom)
Dr. Isaac Boateng
Senior Lecturer
School of Civil Engineering and Surveying
The University of Portsmouth
Portland Building
Portsmouth,
PO1 3AH
United Kingdom
 
Corresponding author Dr. Isaac Boateng (email: isaac.boateng[at]port.ac.uk, tel.: +44(0)2392842910)
 

[ abstract ] [ paper ] [ handouts ]

Published on the web 2018-03-10
Received 2017-10-01 / Accepted 2018-02-01
This paper is one of selection of papers published for the FIG Congress 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey and has undergone the FIG Peer Review Process.

FIG Congress 2018
ISBN 978-87-92853-78-3 ISSN 2308-3441
https://fig.net/resources/proceedings/fig_proceedings/fig2018/index.htm

Abstract

Wetlands offer a wide variety of ecosystem goods and services, such as fisheries, agriculture, tourism and regulatory functions that benefit human society. Despite this relevance, there are no generally acceptable methodology for the economic valuation of ecosystem goods and services of wetlands. The existing methodologies for the valuation of ecosystem goods and services rely on revealed preference approach (willingness to pay and travel cost) due to lack market prices for most of the services. They do not provide actual value of ecosystem goods and services, because it is inferred from users’ opinion and willingness rather than the actual benefit or services derived from the ecosystem. In addition, they lack of simple resources and tools in order to make them user friendly for surveyors and researchers assessing ecosystem services value. This paper attempts to develop alternative holistic approach for the valuation of ecosystem good and services. The methodology includes fieldwork, case study and assessment of actual market values for each ecosystem goods and services, and application of opportunity cost where market values could not be ascertained. The results provide a realistic and evidence-based value to inform sustainable exploitation and management of wetlands. The paper concludes by advocating for the acceptance of this evidence-based valuation methodology for the economic valuation of ecosystem goods and service.
 
Keywords: Education; Coastal Zone Management; Land management; Valuation; Low cost technology; Young surveyor

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