This report presents a framework for scientists, academic institutions, and land stewards to integrate existing biophysical models within a single modeling platform to enable better decisions concerning land use planning, salmon restoration, storm water projects, forestry practices, and flood risk reduction. The Multi-scale Integrated Models of Ecosystem Services (MIMES) demonstrates how current demographic and ecological trends place immense pressure on the natural environment, with significant economic implications. MIMES is the first platform to integrate existing local, national, and global models to systemically answer questions related to sea-level rise, flood risk, and restoration needs.
This report identifies several funding mechanisms that generate revenue of approximately $3 million. These resources are needed, in addition to existing sources of funding, to fully implement watershed maintenance and natural asset improvement projects to meet restoration goals of the Nisqually Watershed Recovery Program by 2055.
This report presents a technical valuation of the damages from dumping accumulated dam sediments in the Anchicaya River on Colombia's Pacific Coast. The unplanned discharge of more than 500,000 cubic meters of sludge in 2001 resulted in shocks to vulnerable ecosystems, severe damage to fish and shellfish, and harm to water supply, crops, and riverine and coastal mangroves. Earth Economics partnered with Fundacion Neotropica to conduct an economic valuation of the damages, emphasizing ecosystem connectivity and both market and non-market environmental impacts.
Metro Parks oversees nearly 3,000 acres of park and open space in Pierce County, making up the majority of park land in Tacoma. Earth Economics was honored to provide a complete assessment of park, by capturing the natural capital of the park ecosystems in economic terms. By identifying and valuing ecosystem services and assets rarely captured in traditional economic accounting.
This report provides effective alternatives to the current financial model and policy framework that drive investment decisions in real estate. These alternatives will help shift limited investment capital towards a restorative built environment by integrating social and environment benefits into investment models, appraiser methodologies, and supporting policies.
The Mississippi River Delta is a vast natural asset, a basis for national employment and economic productivity. Yet, this vast national economic asset is being squandered at tremendous cost. The Mississippi Delta lost over 1.2 million acres of land in the last 80 years—in some areas, the coastline has retreated by as much as 30 miles. Since the 1930s, the lower Mississippi River has been constricted by levees, resulting in billions of tons of valuable sediment and trillions of gallons of valuable freshwater being channeled into deep water.
