Page 9 - Wildlife News April 2018
P. 9
Chimney in flood. Livestock such as these Hebridean What are the public benefits? ➜➜➜➜
Water here helps sheep contribute direct income.
to avoid flooding (WENDY TOBITT) When managed as a nature reserve Chimney Meadows
has four times as much value to the public than if it was a
downstream. conventional farm.
(KERRY LOCK)
Wild species diversity
Wildflower meadows provide a £1.1 million (78%)
number of ecosystem services, As a nature reserve Chimney has
significantly higher value in wild
including carbon storage. species diversity.
(ELAINE TUFFERY)
Flood & water quality regulation
£2.5 million (292%)
Slow the flow using ponds to store and
clean floodwater laden with chemical
runoff.
Recreation, aesthetics & health
£1.8 million (792%)
More paths enable more visitors to
enjoy the increased aesthetic and health
benefits.
Climate regulation
£2,109,203
Managing the land as a nature reserve
saves 485 tonnes of carbon dioxide
every year.
access with more footpaths and better signage. Over the three just the products sold. We know flooding costs money; that time
decades to 2052 all of the public benefits from these wildlife- spent in wildlife-rich environments is good for our health and that
friendly changes will amount to almost £10 million in value. This clean air and water are essential. Nature gives us these for free, but
compares to public benefits of £2.5 million had it remained an to sustain these services it is essential they are recognised as the
intensive commercial farm. In fact, Chimney’s true value as a bedrock to our continuing prosperity. Placing a monetary value
nature reserve is likely to be higher still as rising population and on ecosystem services will help us to make the overwhelming
climate change increase the scarcity of such high-quality habitat. financial case for restoring wildlife.
Of course, land also provides private benefits in the form of In January the Government announced its plan to improve
income for the land owner or farmer. While BBOWT’s management the environment over the next 25 years (see page 10). This is
is set to generate approximately £460,000 over the 30 years, underpinned by advice from the independent Natural Capital
mainly from hay and livestock sales, the private income generated Committee that recommends public subsidies be paid for public
as a traditional farm would have been almost twice that. services like those described here. The Government says it intends
to do just that as it transitions from the current system of financial
Farming needs public subsidies to make it financially viable. support simply for owning land.
The cost of managing the land in both scenarios would be similar,
but at over £2 million it is clear that Chimney Meadows requires The Ecosystem Services Assessment of Chimney Meadows
more subsidies as a nature reserve. Nature Reserve already shows, at a small scale, the public benefits
that can be achieved by managing land for nature. We will use
What our assessment shows, however, is that when public and the report to help us inform and inspire policymakers on the
private benefits are considered together, Chimney is far more value of nature. It will also serve as a catalyst for developing
valuable when it is managed for wildlife, with every pound invested new relationships with landowners and managers, so that more
in the reserve producing benefits totalling £4.80 – not a bad return wildlife habitats are restored and protected beyond our nature
on investment! And with public benefits increasing three-fold, our reserves. The result will be more space for nature in our lives and a
wildlife-focused approach will pay substantial dividends to society, happier, healthier society.
more than compensating for any additional subsidies.
TFoomr aaftutllhcoompyasobf ethcekerettp@obrtbpolewats.eoregm.uakil
Sharing the evidence
Not every acre of farmland can be converted to nature reserves
– we need to grow food, timber and other crops. But our
assessment demonstrates the very real value that a healthy
environment provides through all of the services it offers, not
Wildlife news / April 2018 9
