Ecosystem accounts define explicit and spatial trade-offs for managing natural resources

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Economics
• Natural Resource Management

Background:

• Natural resource management decisions are complex, often involving policy compromises due to conflicting environmental and economic metrics.
• Assessing trade-offs between resource uses is challenging when environmental and economic data are not integrated.
• Ecosystem accounts offer a framework to quantify ecosystem benefits for human well-being, aligning with national economic accounts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advance the application of ecosystem accounts in a regional case study.
• To spatially link human and natural impacts on ecosystem assets and services to industries.
• To demonstrate ecosystem contributions beyond traditional national accounting.

Main Methods:

• Developed and applied ecosystem accounts in a regional case study.
• Explicitly and spatially linked impacts of human and natural activities on ecosystem assets and services.
• Connected ecosystem services to their associated industries.

Main Results:

• Native forests provide greater benefits from ecosystem services (carbon sequestration, water yield, habitat, recreation) when timber harvesting ceases.
• Allowing forests to mature to older ages enhances their capacity to deliver these services.
• Demonstrated ecosystem contributions exceeding traditional national accounts.

Conclusions:

• Ecosystem accounts provide a valuable tool for natural resource management and policy decisions.
• Integrating ecosystem service valuation with economic metrics can improve trade-off assessments.
• Shifting forest management from timber production to conservation maximizes ecosystem service delivery and associated benefits.