It's easy to take national forests for granted. Many city-dwellers think about them only on weekend excursions – when hiking, biking, or skiing. Besides acting as our playgrounds, what else do national forests do for us? Earth Economics is helping to shed light on the subject by partnering with The Wilderness Society for an economic analysis of the many benefits provided by Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
The Columbia River Basin is a vast, abundant watershed and the foundation for communities, fish and wildlife, and economic activity. Earth Economics has just released a new report that demonstrates the immense value of the Columbia River Basin’s natural capital - $198 billion in value annually.
Our nation's water infrastructure needs work. Yet, the question remains - what kind of investments should we make? A recent American Rivers report written in collaboration with Earth Economics makes a compelling case for investing in green infrastructure, or infrastructure that supports natural biological systems. Green infrastructure both improves economies and delivers diverse social benefits.
On April 26, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order requiring a governmental review of all national monument designations made since 1996. First up for review is Bears Ears National Monument -- over a million acres of mesas, canyons, shrublands, forests, and Native American archaeological sites in Southeastern Utah. We took a quick look at its natural capital value and found its worth to be over $1 billion in ecosystem services benefits.
In February, Earth Economics participated in the Melbourne Network Exchange, a three-day event hosted by the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities Program. Chief Resilience Officers from cities around the globe convened with Platform Partners to exchange practices and approaches for strengthening natural assets, especially urban biodiversity. As part of the partnership, we shared our approach to communicating nature's value in support of city resilience.
Agricultural lands are an essential part of our economy and quality of life, but they are increasingly pressured by population growth and accelerating urban development. Too often, farmland is divided and developed without a full understanding of the value lost. In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a 2015 Earth Economics study of the county's natural capital is helping guide ongoing discussions about how to manage the county’s farmlands.
It’s hard to believe that 2016 is already wrapping up – what a full year this has been! We have some exciting opportunities ahead, and we’re pleased to share our 2016 successes with you.
ACES brings together a global ecosystem services community in an open forum for sharing experiences, methods, and tools for assessing and incorporating ecosystem services in decision making. Project Directors Angela Fletcher and Zachary Christin will both be presenting. We hope to connect with you there!
