The Brandywine Conservancy used a cost of community services study to examine how potential development would affect the ability of local governments and school district to provide community services. The nature conservation sector has been one of the fastest growing sectors in recent years and, according to the report, is projected to grow 4-6% per year compared to less than 1% for agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, after the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. The economic benefits of working farm preservation include revenues from timber, recreation service, the avoidance of having to artificially replace the ecosystem services naturally provided by the forest, and the avoidance of development costs. This investment pales in comparison to the economic benefits that additional protected areas would deliver and to the far larger financial support currently given to other sectors, said Enric Sala, co-author of this report, explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society and the author of the forthcoming book The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild (August 2020). During the study period, these lands provide $2 billion in water quality protection and supply, flood protection, fish production, habitat provision, storm protection, carbon sequestration, grazing, aesthetics, pollination, dilution of wastewater, and erosion control. The calculator provides construction, annual maintenance and lifecycle cost comparisons to manage a specified volume of stormwater for green infrastructure and conventional scenarios. Human society profoundly shapes and is shaped by the natural world. Increased populations can increase congestion, crime and create housing shortages. Conservation In all of New Jersey, wildlife-related recreation accounted for $1.6 billion in spending in 2006. Our studies have shown that conservation returns For the entire biosphere, the value (most of which is outside the market) is estimated to be between $1654 trillion/year (1997 U.S. dollars) per year, with an average of $33 trillion/year. The report considers various scenarios of protecting at least 30% of the worlds land and ocean to find that the benefits outweigh the costs by a ratio of at least 5-to-1. This paper explores how well farmland preservation programs provide the benefits their proponents state they do: food security and local food supply, a viable local agricultural economy, environmental and rural amenities, sound fiscal policy and orderly development. Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy, Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Dr. Andrew Balmford, Professor of Conservation Science, University of Cambridge, Dr. Bethan OLeary, Research Associate, Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, Dr. Stephen Woodley, Vice-Chair for Science and Biodiversity, World Commission on Protected Areas, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Dr. Rashid Sumaila, professor with and director of the Fisheries Economics Research Unit at the University of British Columbias Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, Dr. Greg Asner, Director, Arizona State University Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, Dr. Jamison Ervin, Manager, Global Programme on Nature for Development, United Nations Development Programme, Dr. Beth Fulton, Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO, Dr. Bernardo B. N. Strassburg, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography and the Environment, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and Executive Director, International Institute for Sustainability, Dr. James Watson, Professor of Conservation Science and Director of the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science at The University of Queensland, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Minister for Energy and the Environment for Costa Rica, Dr. Zakri Abdul Hamid, Ambassador and Science Advisor to the Campaign for Nature, and Founding Chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). This new independent report, Protecting 30% of the planet for nature: costs, benefits and economic implications, is the first ever analysis of protected area impacts across multiple economic sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, and forestry in addition Conversion of farmland to residential lots puts a burden on local government budgets. The heading of each section is the title of a study and is hyperlinked to the ConservationTools.org library listing where, in most cases, the study can be viewed or downloaded. For every dollar taxpayers invest in the NPS, approximately $10 is returned to the U.S. economy. Amongst U.S. residents age 16 and older, 90.1 million people participated in at least one wildlife related recreation activity; 33.1 million fished, 13.7 million hunted, and 71.8 million participated in at least one type of wildlife-watching activity such as observing, feeding, or photographing wildlife. Sound fiscal policy and orderly development; The impact of preservation programs on development patterns is unclear. The Trust for Public Land has several useful resources, including: ParkScore : Evaluates park access and quality in the 100 largest U.S. cities. Proponents of land protection point to the fact that conservation can reduce the cost of community services, while providing both indirect economic benefits such as If you are a member of the media with an inquiry or interview request, please call during regular business hours or email, National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036, National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. $16.3 billion added to the value of housing stock. Between 1982 and 2007, America lost 23,163,500 acres of farmland to development. Smart Growth and Open Space Conservation | US EPA It also provides some information on participation in wildlife recreation by those 6 to 15 years of age. EPIC research is helping to identify the costs and benefits of preserving natural Parking lots and other paved areas have 98% runoff. predator control of prey species). It provides multiple case studies to demonstrate green infrastructures economic benefits. 4 Many businesses today are not tied to locating near specific raw materials or transportation modes. For more information on this tool, see the Cost of Community Services Studies guide at ConservationTools.org. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity has included this 30% protected area goal in its draft 10-year strategy, which is expected to be finalized and approved by the Conventions 196 parties next year in Kunming, China. State and national parks are the largest draw, making up 48% of outdoor recreation visits. So, increasing tree cover by 10%, or about 3 trees per building lot, will create an annual estimated savings of $50-$90 per lot. According to the American Lung Association, asthma costs our healthcare system over $50.1 billion annually and indirect costs from lost productivity add another $5.9 billion (http://www.lungusa.org/get-involved/advocate/advocacy-documents/senate-EPA-FY2011.pdf). A one-acre wetland can typically store about three-acre feet of water (one acre of land covered by three feet of water), or one million gallons. The Economic Be, The conservation of natural lands and of working farms and forests can generate financial returns, both to governments and individuals, and create significant cost savings. When we protect these working lands and For the few items that require purchase, a link to the web page where the item can be ordered is provided. Improving vacant land led to as much as a 30% increases in the values of surrounding houses. A recent study estimated the economic value of protected areas based on the improved mental health of visitors to be $6 trillion annually. under the administration of the One of MMSDs flood management facilities holds 315 million gallons at a cost of $0.31 per gallon. When a community protects its natural resources, it protects the reason outdoor tourists come to the community. Ecosystems provide multiple services that benefit people. Provisioning services -- the products obtained from an ecosystem such as food, fresh water, biological raw materials (i.e. A 5,303 ton reduction in carbon dioxide, valued at $35,424 per year, for an average net benefit per tree of $1.20. In the short-term, resource extraction (such as mining, and forestry) may create more jobs than will be created by the designation of land as wilderness or other protected status. All Enumerates the economic value of urban trees, which improve air and water quality: Air Quality: Urban trees reduce temperatures and have other microclimate effects, reducing costs energy costs. Distinctive agricultural landscapes bring tourism dollars into communities. This report summarizes the results of a two-year study that quantified the value of New Jerseys natural resources. New tree plantings increased the values of surrounding houses by about 10%. Because open space and farmland tend to raise more revenue than they require to be spent on services, and residential lands tend to require more funds to be spent for services than they raise in revenue, cost of community services studies show the importance of open space and farmland to a communitys fiscal well-being and the importance of having a wide tax-base with a variety of land uses. In Kane County, Utah, a comparison of the 4 years following the 1996 creation of nearby Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to the 4 years prior to its creation found that unemployment dropped by more than half, per-job earnings increased 13%, property values increased, and hotel-room revenues increased by about 20%. Net economic benefit per activity day for participation in wildlife-associated recreation activities (fishing, hunting, wildlife-watching); Visitation numbers for wildlife-associated recreation for an existing wildlife refuge or state game management area (or changes in visitation from the expansion/reduction of the acreage of that land). All rights reserved. They are categorized by their content, recognizing that a number of the studies do not fit perfectly into one category or another. Sprawl consumes 350 acres per day and that pace may be accelerating. $566 million in total annual expenditures associated with protected open space. Ecological economics is the science of sustainability. In this paper, wilderness is defined as both officially designated wilderness areas and other wildland areas and includes remote areas whose surroundings are similar to that of the wilderness area and those bordered by extractive uses or major population centers. The practices provide multiple environmental, economic and social benefits, including less polluted stormwater and increased property values. Pittsburgh receives $2.94 in benefits for every $1 that is spent on its municipal forestry program. A 2002 survey of 27 water suppliers conducted by the Trust for Public Land and the American Water Works Association found that, for every 10% increase in forest cover in a drinking waters source area, treatment and chemical costs decreased by approximately 20%. The reports authors find that obtaining the substantial benefits of protecting 30% of the planets land and ocean, requires an average annual investment of roughly $140 billion by 2030. In addition to the eased property, the farmer also leased 37.6 acres and actively farmed them. From the pure pleasure of experiencing it, to the food and water it provides us, the value of nature is in one sense priceless. Center for Neighborhood Technologys Green Values Calculator is a tool for quickly comparing the performance, costs, and some benefits of green infrastructure practices to those of conventional stormwater management practices. 26 Jun 2023 15:47:16 The total direct, indirect and induced effects of visitor spending were $416.9 million in sales. WebWildlife Management Valuation of a property allows a landowner to maintain and care for the land and wildlife with an ag-type exemption, without all the requirements of an agricultural tax exemption. Of this, state and federal public lands provide $5.1 billion and the more than 700,000 acres of private land under conservation easement provide $520 million. Economic Benefits In Oakland, California, a three-mile greenbelt around Lake Merritt, near the city center, adds $41 million to surrounding property values. WebThe Economic Benefits of Protecting Healthy Watersheds Did You Know? Wetlands reduce the frequency and intensity of floods by absorbing and storing significant amounts of floodwater. Evidence of this comes from academic research and first-hand experience of community leaders and government officials who have found that open space protection does not cost but rather pays., Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center. WebConservation Economics. Eighteen percent used the money to finance their farming operations, 35% to reduce debt, 8% saved the money or invested it in their farm, 12% used it to fund their retirement instead of selling their land to do so, and some bought additional land or farming equipment. The South Central Assembly for Effective Governance. FCEP will help forest landowners prioritize keeping forests as forests to provide a multitude of environmental, economic and societal benefits. We The location of a preserved working forest can affect the amount of avoided costs of new development and the gain in property taxes from nearby lands that benefit from a protected area established in close proximity. Across all measures, the experts find that the benefits are greater when more nature is protected as opposed to maintaining the status quo. New residents and businesses increase employment and income in the community, as well as provide additional taxes for social services. WebAbstract. It is now the most popular attraction of the citys $3.5 billion tourism industry, even more popular than the Alamo. They contain a multitude of historic, recreational, natural and scenic resources of state and national significance that collectively exemplify the heritage of Pennsylvania. The positive amenities generated by preservation may increase the demand for housing near the preserved farms, and create even more development pressure on other farms, especially in areas where there is a short commute to employment centers. In Chicago, the $59 million in benefits from its trees in energy savings, air-pollution mitigation, avoided runoff and other benefits far outweigh the $21 million in costs of planting and maintenance (assuming a 30 year time period, 7% discount and 95,000 trees planted). Wilderness areas, large tracts left relatively untouched by humans, touch the human economy in significant ways. For natural ground cover, 10% of precipitation runs off lands and into nearby bodies of water. Economic Benefit of Conserved Rivers: An Annotated Bibliography, Cost of Community Services: Shrewsbury Township, York County, PA, Conservation Opportunities for Corridor Preservation and Community Development, Farmland Information Center Fact Sheet: Cost of Community Services, The Economic Benefits of Natural Goods and Services: A Report for the Piedmont Environmental Council, Ecosystem Services in Cecil Countys Green Infrastructure: Technical Report for the Cecil County Green Infrastructure Plan, The Value of the Worlds Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital, Ecosystem Service Valuation and Watershed Resources: An Annotated Literature Review, Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, The Wildlife Habitat Benefits Estimation Toolkit, Green Values National Stormwater Management Calculator, Environmental Valuation Reference Inventory, A Bibliography of Economic Valuation Literature, 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, Economic Benefits of Smart Growth and Costs of Sprawl, Economic Benefits of Outdoor Recreation And Tourism, Economic Benefits of Urban Trees and Green Infrastructure, Economic Benefits of Waterways and Wetlands, Mortgage Subordination and Non-Disturbance Agreements, The Economic Benefits of Cleaning Up the Chesapeake: A Valuation of the Natural Benefits Gained by Implementing the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, Economic Benefits of Land Conservation: A Guide, Pennsylvanias Return on Investment in the Keystone Recreation, Park, and Conservation Fund, Return on Environment: The Economic Value of Protected Open Space in Chester County, Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Environmental Stewardship Fund, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. Mature trees reduce neighborhood wind speeds. The Economics of River Conservation: An Annotated Bibliography offers an extensive list of studies, papers, and articles on the economic benefits of river conservation, with summaries of their content. Wetlands filter and clean water, decreasing the costs of drinking water filtration. A 2007 survey of farmers in four Maryland counties found that, over a five-year period: Sixty six percent of farmers of preserved farms invested in their farm versus 55% of farmers of non-preserved farms. [Definition from the World Resources Institute: http://pdf.wri.org/esr_definitions_of_ecosystem_services.pdf]. Because of the nature of the uncertainties, this must be considered a minimum estimate. This report presents a series of best practices on source protection and gives case studies of communities that have effectively linked land protection, water protection and water treatment cost savings. Boost the regions 1,450 farms that generate $29.4 million in i-Tree is a state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed software suite from the USDA Forest Service that provides urban forestry analysis and benefits assessment tools. In these communities, $1.174 was spent for every dollar received from residential land, $.05 spent for every dollar received from commercial land, $.02 spent for every dollar received for industrial land, and $.04 spent for each dollar received for farmland. New residents are attracted by the quality of life provided by proximity to a wilderness area and new businesses are attracted by opportunities to participate in the tourism industry and by amenities and quality of life the wilderness areas can offer to employees. Land Trust Alliance on Twitter: "Thank you @RepTrentKelly (R-MS $795 million in avoided medical costs from moderate to strenuous exercise that takes place on protected open space. Where there are trees, there are reduced energy costs, decreased stormwater treatment costs, increased property values, increased spending at stores, increased employee satisfaction, and lower health care costs through cleaner air and increased recreational opportunities. In Chicago, this period ranges from 9 to 18 years. Nearly $577 million annually in benefits to residents who participate in recreational activities on protected open space (the value they would be willing to spend in the private market to participate in the recreational activities that they currently enjoy on protected open space.). WebThe table of contents lists the following headings: Introduction, Growing Smart, Attracting Investment, Revitalizing Cities, Boosting Tourism, Protecting Farms and Ranches, Preventing Flood Damage, Safeguarding the Environment, and Endnotes. Within 400 meters of the house, open space with conservation easements are viewed less positively than open space without easements. This could be because this category includes agricultural conservation easements, and such land tends to be intensively managed, which may not be desirable to nearby homeowners. Additionally, wildlife-related tourism is estimated to annually generate about $3 billion of gross economic activity in New Jersey. the Economic Benefits of Conservation Lands in Downeast Maine These communities have a high development pressure. Managing for timber, carbon sequestration, recreation and other ecosystem service revenues can, at a minimum, help cover the costs of ongoing management and pay for restoration activities. In Philadelphia, PA, officials learned that managing runoff through green infrastructure from 50% of the citys impervious services would provide a net benefit of $2.8 billion, a net benefit 2,333% higher than managing it with a 30-foot tunnel, the traditional grey infrastructure option, which would provide a net benefit of $122 million. Businesses that invest in trees realize far reaching and ever growing returns: Trees increase a propertys value between 3 and 7 percent. The health of the Jersey Shore is in jeopardy, as seen by the declining populations of hard clams and seagrasses, increases in harmful algae blooms and jellyfish, continued problems with bacterial contamination at beaches, and problems with low dissolved oxygen levels in the near-shore waters. Initiated in 2001, the objective of the MA was to assess the consequences of ecosystem change for human wellbeing and the scientific basis for action needed to enhance the conservation and sustainable use of those systems and their contribution to human wellbeing. Environmental and economic benefits of preserving forests within It gives the annual dollar value (in 2004 dollars) and present value, the amount of money that would need to be invested now at a 3% interest rate to generate an equal level of annual monetary benefits. Trees and green spaces in urban areas provide more than aesthetic benefits. The annual value of the ecosystem services provided by terrestrial and aquatic habitat or wetlands. Economic Benefits of Land Conservation : ConservationTools CFN recommends that funding comes from all sources, including official development assistance, governments domestic budgets, climate financing directed to nature-based solutions, philanthropies, corporations, and new sources of revenue or savings through regulatory and subsidy changes. This tool is based on i-Trees street tree assessment tool called STREETS. It summarizes the best current In the long-term however, non-resource extraction jobs and improvements to commercial fisheries often lead to an overall positive economic impact to a community. By luring people outside, trees encourage increased physical activity. Direct economic benefits, increased productivity or profitability seem to be the essential condition for the adoption of sustainable practices in the short term 7. $133 million in annual cost savings and economic benefits through not having to artificially replace the natural provision of six ecosystem services: water supply ($50.2 million), water filtration ($10.9 million), flood mitigation ($37.5 million), wildlife habitat ($16.9 million), air pollution removal (15.1 million), and the sequestration of carbon in yearly growth of trees on protected open space ($1.9 million). WebOur Conservation Economics service measures and analyzes the economic benefits and fiscal impacts of land conservation. In Cape May, 100,000 birders spend $10 million a year in the local economy. In Chester County, PA, between Route 1 and Route 30, Route 41 passes through or near nine communities that contain extensive prime farmland, headwaters to five significant stream systems, and/or active, vibrant downtowns and villages. When the citys annual $816,400 in tree-related expenditures are considered, the net annual benefit to the city is $1.6 million, or $53 per tree per year. A 2004 Delaware study found that 33% of farmland preservation participants used the funds to decrease mortgage debt, 15% to purchase additional land, and 15% to purchase farm equipment. Ultimately, all taxpayers end up bearing the cost to rebuild after a natural disaster. The conservation of natural lands and of working farms and forests can generate financial returns, both to governments and individuals, and create significant cost savings. WebBecause the land remains in private ownership, with the remainder of the rights intact, an easement property continues to provide economic benefits for the area in the form of