As a natural capital asset, Biscayne Bay’s coastal wetlands provide essential ecosystem services that can be valued.
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Study Area
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Opportunity for resilience.
Rehydrated coastal wetlands would provide $120 million in ecosystem services annually, amounting to $3.3 billion when treated as an asset.
Healthy ecosystems, resilient communities
Wetland Reydration
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In addition to aquifer protection and strengthening the overall flow of wetland ecosystem services to communities, rehydration helps surrounding marine ecosystems function by:
Lowering salinity levels
Reducing nutrients that feed algal blooms
Improving fish and wildlife habitat
Managing sediment loads
Increasing carbon storage capacity
Enhancing Biscayne Bay’s health leads to improved resilience for the region. Building resilience includes, but isn’t limited to, increasing protection from storms, ensuring reliable drinking water, enabling continued recreational and commercial fishing, and buffering sea level rise.
BISCAYNE BAY’S NATURAL CAPITAL
As natural capital, the ecosystems of Biscayne Bay form the foundation of our lives and economies. Ecosystem functions produce goods and services we depend on everyday - including clean water and air, thriving fisheries for food and recreation, protection from storms, and beautiful views. Placing economic value on the flow of ecosystem goods and services is one way to highlight the importance of natural capital to our communities.
Interested in learning more or working with us? Contact us today!
Armistead, C., Jensen, C., Madsen, T., Kocian, M. 2019. Restoring Biscayne Bay and the Economic Value of Rehydrating Coastal Wetlands. Earth Economics. Tacoma, WA.
Supplemental Documents | Prepared for Miami Waterkeeper, funded by the Miami Foundation.