Cost-effectiveness of dryland forest restoration evaluated by spatial analysis of ecosystem services

Authors: Birch, J.C., Newton, A.C., Aquino, C.A., Cantarello, E., Echeverría, C., Kitzberger, T., Schiappacasse, I. and Garavito, N.T.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Volume: 107

Issue: 50

Pages: 21925-21930

eISSN: 1091-6490

ISSN: 0027-8424

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1003369107

Abstract:

Although ecological restoration is widely used to combat environmental degradation, very few studies have evaluated the costeffectiveness of this approach. We examine the potential impact of forest restoration on the value of multiple ecosystem services across four dryland areas in Latin America, by estimating the net value of ecosystem service benefits under different reforestation scenarios. The values of selected ecosystem services were mapped under each scenario, supported by the use of a spatially explicit model of forest dynamics. We explored the economic potential of a change in land use from livestock grazing to restored native forest using different discount rates and performed a cost-benefit analysis of three restoration scenarios. Results show that passive restoration is cost-effective for all study areas on the basis of the services analyzed, whereas the benefits from active restoration are generally outweighed by the relatively high costs involved. These findings were found to be relatively insensitive to discount rate but were sensitive to the market value of carbon. Substantial variation in values was recorded between study areas, demonstrating that ecosystem service values are strongly context specific. However, spatial analysis enabled localized areas of net benefits to be identified, indicating the value of this approach for identifying the relative costs and benefits of restoration interventions across a landscape.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/18777/

Source: Scopus

Cost-effectiveness of dryland forest restoration evaluated by spatial analysis of ecosystem services.

Authors: Birch, J.C., Newton, A.C., Aquino, C.A., Cantarello, E., Echeverría, C., Kitzberger, T., Schiappacasse, I. and Garavito, N.T.

Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Volume: 107

Issue: 50

Pages: 21925-21930

eISSN: 1091-6490

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1003369107

Abstract:

Although ecological restoration is widely used to combat environmental degradation, very few studies have evaluated the cost-effectiveness of this approach. We examine the potential impact of forest restoration on the value of multiple ecosystem services across four dryland areas in Latin America, by estimating the net value of ecosystem service benefits under different reforestation scenarios. The values of selected ecosystem services were mapped under each scenario, supported by the use of a spatially explicit model of forest dynamics. We explored the economic potential of a change in land use from livestock grazing to restored native forest using different discount rates and performed a cost-benefit analysis of three restoration scenarios. Results show that passive restoration is cost-effective for all study areas on the basis of the services analyzed, whereas the benefits from active restoration are generally outweighed by the relatively high costs involved. These findings were found to be relatively insensitive to discount rate but were sensitive to the market value of carbon. Substantial variation in values was recorded between study areas, demonstrating that ecosystem service values are strongly context specific. However, spatial analysis enabled localized areas of net benefits to be identified, indicating the value of this approach for identifying the relative costs and benefits of restoration interventions across a landscape.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/18777/

Source: PubMed

Cost-effectiveness of dryland forest restoration evaluated by spatial analysis of ecosystem services

Authors: Birch, J.C., Newton, A.C., Alvarez Aquino, C., Cantarello, E., Echeverria, C., Kitzberger, T., Schiappacasse, I. and Garavito, N.T.

Journal: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Volume: 107

Issue: 50

Pages: 21925-21930

ISSN: 0027-8424

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1003369107

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/18777/

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

Cost-effectiveness of dryland forest restoration evaluated by spatial analysis of ecosystem services

Authors: Birch, J., Newton, A., Aquino, C.A., Cantarello, E., Echeverria, C., Kitzberger, T., Schiappacasse, I. and Tejedor, N.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Volume: 107

Pages: 21925-21930

ISSN: 1091-6490

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1003369107

Abstract:

Although ecological restoration is widely used to combat environmental degradation, very few studies have evaluated the cost-effectiveness of this approach. We examine the potential impact of forest restoration on the value of multiple ecosystem services across four dryland areas in Latin America, by estimating the net value of ecosystem service benefits under different reforestation scenarios. The values of selected ecosystem services were mapped under each scenario, supported by the use of a spatially explicit model of forest dynamics. We explored the economic potential of a change in land use from livestock grazing to restored native forest using different discount rates and performed a cost–benefit analysis of three restoration scenarios. Results show that passive restoration is cost-effective for all study areas on the basis of the services analyzed, whereas the benefits from active restoration are generally outweighed by the relatively high costs involved. These findings were found to be relatively insensitive to discount rate but were sensitive to the market value of carbon. Substantial variation in values was recorded between study areas, demonstrating that ecosystem service values are strongly context specific. However, spatial analysis enabled localized areas of net benefits to be identified, indicating the value of this approach for identifying the relative costs and benefits of restoration interventions across a landscape.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/18777/

http://www.pnas.org/content/107/50/21925.short

Source: Manual

Preferred by: Elena Cantarello and Natalia Tejedor Garavito

Cost-effectiveness of dryland forest restoration evaluated by spatial analysis of ecosystem services.

Authors: Birch, J.C., Newton, A.C., Aquino, C.A., Cantarello, E., Echeverría, C., Kitzberger, T., Schiappacasse, I. and Garavito, N.T.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Volume: 107

Issue: 50

Pages: 21925-21930

eISSN: 1091-6490

ISSN: 0027-8424

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1003369107

Abstract:

Although ecological restoration is widely used to combat environmental degradation, very few studies have evaluated the cost-effectiveness of this approach. We examine the potential impact of forest restoration on the value of multiple ecosystem services across four dryland areas in Latin America, by estimating the net value of ecosystem service benefits under different reforestation scenarios. The values of selected ecosystem services were mapped under each scenario, supported by the use of a spatially explicit model of forest dynamics. We explored the economic potential of a change in land use from livestock grazing to restored native forest using different discount rates and performed a cost-benefit analysis of three restoration scenarios. Results show that passive restoration is cost-effective for all study areas on the basis of the services analyzed, whereas the benefits from active restoration are generally outweighed by the relatively high costs involved. These findings were found to be relatively insensitive to discount rate but were sensitive to the market value of carbon. Substantial variation in values was recorded between study areas, demonstrating that ecosystem service values are strongly context specific. However, spatial analysis enabled localized areas of net benefits to be identified, indicating the value of this approach for identifying the relative costs and benefits of restoration interventions across a landscape.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/18777/

Source: Europe PubMed Central

Cost-effectiveness of dryland forest restoration evaluated by spatial analysis of ecosystem services

Authors: Birch, J., Newton, A., Aquino, C.A., Cantarello, E., Echeverria, C., Kitzberger, T., Schiappacasse, I. and Tejedor, N.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Volume: 107

Issue: 50

Pages: 21925-21930

ISSN: 1091-6490

Abstract:

Although ecological restoration is widely used to combat environmental degradation, very few studies have evaluated the cost-effectiveness of this approach. We examine the potential impact of forest restoration on the value of multiple ecosystem services across four dryland areas in Latin America, by estimating the net value of ecosystem service benefits under different reforestation scenarios. The values of selected ecosystem services were mapped under each scenario, supported by the use of a spatially explicit model of forest dynamics. We explored the economic potential of a change in land use from livestock grazing to restored native forest using different discount rates and performed a cost–benefit analysis of three restoration scenarios. Results show that passive restoration is cost-effective for all study areas on the basis of the services analyzed, whereas the benefits from active restoration are generally outweighed by the relatively high costs involved. These findings were found to be relatively insensitive to discount rate but were sensitive to the market value of carbon. Substantial variation in values was recorded between study areas, demonstrating that ecosystem service values are strongly context specific. However, spatial analysis enabled localized areas of net benefits to be identified, indicating the value of this approach for identifying the relative costs and benefits of restoration interventions across a landscape.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/18777/

http://www.pnas.org/content/107/50/21925.short

Source: BURO EPrints