Texas Forest Ecosystem Services Valuation Forest Ecosystem Services

Texas Forest Ecosystem Services Valuation

Forest Ecosystem Services � Timber, wood fiber, fuel wood � Gas regulation and climate control � Carbon sequestration � Watershed services (water supply and quality) � Clean air � Soil stabilization and erosion control � Recreational opportunities � Aesthetic, cultural, and existence uses � Wildlife habitat and biodiversity � Soil formation Provisioning Services Regulating Services Cultural Services Supporting Services

Forest Ecosystem Services (Why value? ) § Most are traditionally viewed as free benefit to society, or “public good” § Overlooked or undervalued in decision-making Carbon Wildlife Timber values Water Land values Soil Cultural Values Air Decision Making

Objectives � Quantify and assess the values of the various nonmarket ecosystem services provided by the Texas forests � Compare the values of forest ecosystem services under various forest management scenarios

Scope All forest in Texas — 63 million acres of rural forestland (defined by FIA, public and private), and more than 1. 2 million acres of urban forest

Scope � Types of non-market ecosystem services valued: o Carbon storage and sequestration o Water supply and filtration o Biodiversity and wildlife habitat o Cultural values � One time snap-shot

Valuation Framework Step 1. Specification the scope of the system to be valued Forest Ecosystem Provisioning Services Direct Use Values Regulating Services Indirect Use Values Supporting Services Option Values Total Values Cultural Services Non-use Values Step 2. Assessment of ecosystem services in bio-physical terms Step 1. Specification the scope of the system to be valued Step 3. Valuation using monetary terms Step 4. Aggregation of the values from various services

Methodology―Quantifying Ecosystem Services � Landscape classification (forest type, riparian status, watershed, biodiversity index…) � Multiple GIS layers Urban forest Canopy Biodiversity Hydrography, Watershed Forest Resource Analysis (FIA)

Methodology ―Valuing Ecosystem Services � Benefit transfer (adapting valuation estimates from previous studies to a similar area) � Original survey & econometric modeling (cultural value, asking Texans carefully designed questions to determine their willingness to pay for cultural value of the Texas forests)

Texas Forest Cultural Value Survey � Valuation question (Stated Choice Method): Suppose there was a ballot proposal that would result in changes in the area of forest coverage in Texas and additional costs to you in terms of higher wood products prices. Option A and B are possible alternatives, and Status-quo is the current situation. Given a choice between the three, how would you vote?

Comparison With Other Forest Impact Studies Most States Virginia (2005) Georgia (2011) Texas Forest Products Values Yes Yes Hunting/Tourism No Yes Private Forest No No Yes Public Forest No No No Yes Non-market Ecosystem Services Values Note: Black-studies already done Red-Impacts will be estimated in the current study

Expected Results � Values of the various ecosystem services provided by the Texas forests and their aggregated value � Spatial distribution of the forest ecosystem services in Texas (GIS map) � Identify forest management scenarios that result in higher values of ecosystem services

Results Could Be Used to: � Raise awareness of the general public and policy makers about the importance of the Texas forests and encourage conservation of forests � Encourage decision makers to make better land use policy decisions by considering the total values of forests � Complement current economic impact report of the Texas forest sector for a more comprehensive assessment

Results Could Be Used to: � Identify “hot-spots” with high values of ecosystem services and encourage conservation � Encourage forest management practices that increase total values of the forests � Provide a more comprehensive assessment of the impacts of natural disasters

Results Could Be Used to: � Fire damage assessment Since Nov. 15, 2010, more than 4. 0 million acres of forestland have been burned in Texas. ― East Texas Within 4 days of fire containment, we were able to estimate the values of timber damaged and the total impacts in terms of the loss of potential forest products. Ecosystem services were addressed descriptively. ― West Texas

Project Progress � Designed and conducted the survey on Texan’s opinion on forest ecosystem services − Mail survey (3, 000) − Email survey (75, 000) − 376 returned so far by mail � Estimated carbon stock and sequestration by the Texas forests, assessed the values � Estimated water originated from the Texas forests and their values � Estimated values of water filtration by the forests

Project Progress � Working on estimating values of wildlife habitat and biodiversity Texas Ecological Assessment Protocol (TEAP) by TPWD and EPA � Working on estimating value of urban forests Nowak (2010), USFS Northern Research Station, i-Tree model

Team Member Texas Forest Service: � Burl Carraway (Department Head) � Yanshu Li (Forest Economist) � Chris Edgar (Resource Specialist) � Brad Barber (GIS Manager) Texas A&M Agri. Life: � Eric Taylor (Associate Professor, Forestry)