Ecosystem services and sustainable management of tropical ecosystems: management of primary drivers
Management to Address Drivers of Degradation & Deforestation
In order to successfully manage tropical rainforests and savanna ecosystems, it is crucial that the management approach and actions:
- address the key primary and secondary drivers of degradation,
- are based on the best available science,
- include ecological, economic and social considerations,
- are regionally and locally appropriate,
- are supported by government policies and incentives, and
- are adaptive rather than static.
In this section we will consider the use of the concept of ecosystem services as a framework for natural resource management.
We will then examine the development of markets for ecosystem services as a way of incorporating the currently unaccounted for economic benefits obtained from ecosystems.
How can the ESS Concept Contribute to Sustainable Natural Resource Management
Applying the ESS Concept as a Framework for Natural Resource Management
The ecosystem services concept has been proposed by numerous authors as an appropriate framework to facilitate sustainable resource use and management (Tiller 2006).
Activity 4.3
Answer these questions with reference to the following thesis extract:
- Tiller, E.J. (2006) “Ecosystem Services as a Framework for Natural Resource Management” Masters Thesis “A Systems Approach to Understanding the Dynamics of Crop Pest Control Systems & the Natural Pest Control Service” Australian National University, May 2006.
Q1 In a table present the five required features of an NRM framework identified by Tiller (2006) and reasons why the ESS concept meets these requirements (refer to p7-8 of extract)
Example Table: |
|
|---|---|
NRM Framework Features |
ESS Features |
| Whole system based perspective etc |
|
Q2 Reflecting on the information provided in this module, module 1, and your own understanding tabulate the contribution a framework based on ESS can make to addressing the primary drivers of degradation and deforestation (i.e. not valuing / understanding ecology, not valuing ESS, exports, government policies, poverty, population growth). Note the ESS concept does not directly address population, although it does provide insight to the extent to which humanity relies on natural and human altered ecosystems and the services they provide.
Example Table: |
|
|---|---|
NRM Framework Features |
ESS Features |
| Not valuing / understanding ecology etc |
Provide scientific knowledge on the ecosystem processes and functions humans derive benefit from and rely on |
How the Ecosystem Services Concept can Contribute to Addressing the Primary Drivers of Degradation
Primary Driver of Degradation |
ESS Contribution |
|---|---|
Not valuing / understanding ecology |
Provide scientific knowledge on the ecosystem processes and functions humans derive benefit from and rely on |
Not valuing ESS |
Based on the value of ESS |
Exports |
Provide alternative markets for currently undervalued services that could replace the need to produce environmentally damaging exports |
Government Policies |
Provides a means for designing new policies, incentives and other mechanisms that are appropriate for maintaining and enhancing ESS |
Poverty |
Could provide alternative income or income supplement particularly for the rural poor in developing countries |
Population |
Greater understanding of the extent that people rely on ecosystems and the services they provide |
How Can the ESS Concept Contribute to Improve Sustainable Resource Management?
There are a number of key ways the ESS concept can contribute to improve sustainable resource management. These include;
- Increasing awareness of the importance of ecosystem
- Informing people of their connection to the environment
- Providing a language for presenting the science of ecosystems to policy makers (i.e. politicians)
- Directing scientific research
- Target research to determining what and how much biodiversity is needed to ensure the functioning of ecosystems and their provision of ESS
- Economic evaluation of the essential goods and services provided by ecosystems
- Assign economic value to essential services not currently included in markets and the economic system
- Facilitate consideration of ESS in policy making and land management decisions through the mechanisms discussed below
- Precursor to the development of markets for ESS
- Assessing marginal changes in service provision and ecosystems
- Based on estimation of a market price or alternative price determination of the value of marginal (i.e. small) changes in the provision of an ecosystem service, due to the condition of the ecosystem, can be estimated.
- Knowledge of the value of marginal changes in ecosystems and the services they provide are important as they are generally the kinds of changes under consideration when individuals or policy makers are making decisions. Thus this technique provides relevant knowledge to incorporate the value of ecosystem services into decision making.
- Development of markets for ecosystem services
- Incorporation of ecosystem services into the economic system, i.e. accounting for the cost of using ecosystem services and providing economic benefit to those who provide the service
- Economic incentive to protect ecosystems and enhance their ability to provide ESS
- Mechanism for governments to facilitate and encourage sustainable resource use
- Evaluating tradeoffs in development options and land-cover uses
- Determining the effect of alternative development options or land-uses on the provision of one or a number of essential ecosystem services
- Inform decision making with an economic environmental analysis rather than current approaches which consider environmental effects separately to economic outcomes
- Modelling future alternative scenarios
- Based on estimates of current ESS provision and their value design likely alternative scenarios of decrease and/or increase in these services (reflecting potential land-use changes or the effect of climate change)
- Produce models to simulate these scenarios to compare potential future outcomes and identify acceptable or preferable options
- These models can assist and inform decision making by providing a prediction of likely future outcome
The role of the ESS concept in increasing awareness of the importance of ecosystems, directing scientific research, and facilitating the economic evaluation of ecosystem services (particularly through the identification of marginal values) are all precursors to the major ways ESS science and valuation can contribute to sustainable NRM. The three major ways ESS can and have been applied to facilitate sustainable land management are discussed in the next section.
Next topic - Application of the ESS concept for sustainable management of tropical ecosystems
Topics in this module
- Introduction
- Management issues & drivers of degradation and deforestaton
- Ecosystem services and sustainable management of tropical ecosystems
- Application of the ESS concept for sustainable management of tropical ecosystems
- Management of human interactions with tropical ecosystems
- Compulsory readings
