A Message from OUr Executive Director

2021 was certainly another challenging year of ongoing adjustments to the COVID-19 pandemic, but together we’ve continued to advance our vision of a world where communities, nature, and people all thrive together. I’m proud of our team’s dedicated commitment and outstanding work to further our mission. When I first started at Earth Economics 16 years ago as an intern, we were four people in a coffee shop working to introduce ecosystem services and natural capital into the conversation–concepts that were barely recognized at the time. Now, with broader recognition firmly established, we’re focused on incorporating natural capital values into decisions.

I’m honored to lead a team of talented and dedicated researchers, analysts, and support staff who are driving smart decisions in business and government by providing robust, cutting-edge research on the most innovative solutions to our pressing problems. I encourage you to get to know our staff down below in the “Words from Our Team” section.

Since 2020, the goals below have guided our efforts, and 2021 saw significant strides toward this vision. You’ll find more information in the “2021 Project Highlights” section of this report.

• Resilient Communities: Build capacity for and accelerate investment in nature-based solutions, to build community resilience and equity.  

  This past year, we expanded our work with communities on the frontline of climate impacts, especially BIPOC communities across the nation. A particularly meaningful project for me, as the daughter of an immigrant and a refugee, was our partnership with World Relief Seattle. We assessed the value of their Paradise Parking Plots Community Gardens, a community hub for immigrant and refugee communities in Kent, WA.      

• Recreation Lands: Measure the economic contributions of recreation to reinforce the importance of natural lands to communities. 

  Public lands use has seen a significant uptick since the start of the pandemic that is expected to continue. In 2021, we pioneered an innovative new method using cell phone data to assess visitation. With a more granular level of data, we can provide land managers with much-needed information to support smart planning for recreation land management.

• Working Lands: Management of ecosystems primarily for the production of food, fiber, and other products, with the goal of improved resilience. 

  We supported Agriculture Capital’s annual shareholder report, clarifying how increased soil organic matter supports water resilience. This exciting new area of research illuminates the dynamics of soil composition and its effects on water capture and carbon storage.

• Sustainable Investing and Finance: To ensure natural capital assets and their benefits are addressed in accounting, investment, disclosure standards, and best practices. 

  We recognize that investors need robust data for their sustainability goals, and we are well-positioned to fill the data gap for environmental values of their portfolios. In 2021, we launched a partnership with Akiptan, a Community Development Finance institution that supports indigenous farmers in the U.S., with the aim of providing data that will attract impact investment funding to diversify their financial sources in support of Native American producers.

These goals will continue to guide our work in 2022 and beyond, and we will remain nimble, forward-thinking, and responsive to the times.  We’re happy to keep doing what we do best: leveraging project-level successes to effect change through federal-level policy work, all while keeping our work grounded in the communities that are most directly impacted.

Maya Kocian
Executive Director

Our Approach

2021 Project Highlights

With increasing climate impacts–especially wildfires, floods, and urban heat island effects–we’ve delved deeper into analyses that show just how valuable and effective nature-based solutions can be. From assessing the economic impact of outdoor recreation in the Northwest to identifying the benefits of community-driven green infrastructure in New Orleans, our work addresses systemic challenges. Take a look at some of our most exciting work of 2021.

Where We Worked

New Tools and Resources

For over 20 years, we’ve been developing a robust suite of analytical tools for valuing nature. What began as a spreadsheet in 1998 has evolved into an ever-growing suite of tools for estimating the non-market value of ecosystem services, green infrastructure, and more. This year, we launched a new hub webpage for our tools, some of which are publically available like the Water Reuse Calculator in collaboration with the Seattle 2030 District. Check out our new page to learn more about the tools we use and how they can benefit local communities, commercial landowners, decision makers, and more.

Next Up in Research

Board, Staff, and Special Contributors

Our dedicated and talented staff, interns, and Board of Directors are the backbone of all that we do at Earth Economics. We’re deeply grateful for and incredibly proud of the work of our small but mighty team. Their dedication, expertise, and collaboration are what enable us to make an impact in valuing nature.

A Letter from our Board Chair

Since moving to the Northwest in the 1970’s, I’ve focused my career on supporting local governments and nonprofits, developing policy and programs to promote local and regional sustainability, and leading work to protect and restore the Salish Sea. Twenty years ago, through my work at a foundation, I learned about Earth Economics and its exciting and valuable work. Four years ago, I was honored to be invited to join its Board of Directors.

I want to give special thanks to Ingrid Rasch who served as our Board Chair for 13 years, helping to set strategic direction and building the board. At the end of 2021, the Board of Directors created the Ingrid Rasch Legacy Fund. The Fund honors Ingrid’s values and practice of “strategic opportunism”. We hope it will spur innovative ideas and help grow the next generation of environmental stewards.

This report will give you a glimpse of some of the projects Earth Economics has tackled during the last year. We helped the Federal Emergency Management Agency develop nature-based solutions to reduce the risks of flooding, wildfire, and drought. We released a report on the Sociocultural Significance of Salmon for Tribes and First Nations for the Pacific Salmon Commission. This report is a look back. But all of our accomplishments are an investment in our future, the future of our “places”, and our world. We hope the report whets your appetite to learn more about our work.

Nan McKay
Chair, Board of Directors

Words from our Team

2021 Financials