The Elephant Hill Wildfire of 2017 was destructive for Secwepemcúl'ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society (SRSS) First Nations communities and the ecosystems they rely upon. SRSS serves Secwépemc communities to advance conservation, revitalization, and restoration for future generations following Secwépemc values and law. SRSS engaged Solsticeworks to conduct a natural capital value of the ecosystem services losses from the 2017 fire.
Solsticeworks, together with Earth Economics and Michelle Molnar Consulting, in close coordination with SRSS measured the pre-fire value of the Elephant Hill forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Ecosystem services measured included impacts to culture and well-being; biodiversity; material contributions (e.g. wild foods); water supply; water purification; disaster risk mitigation; carbon sequestration; and air quality. The study also considered the economic value of carbon storage, ranching, and timber harvests as one-time losses. Earth Economics’ analysis focused on the value of carbon sequestration, carbon storage, ranching, and timber harvests.
The report, Natural Capital of the Elephant Hill Wildfire Area: Valuation of the ecosystem services affected by the 2017 Elephant Hill fire shows that, prior to the fire, nature in the Elephant Hill fire area was providing ecosystem services for SRSS communities estimated from $500 million to nearly $1 billion annually. These services were profoundly affected by the fire. In addition, there was a one-time loss of carbon already stored in forests and soils worth approximately $1.5 billion.
Learn more at: SRSS Natural Capital Valuation Project
