Page 9 - Wildlife News April 2017

S cientific studies prove that hedges clean our air,
unploughed fields store carbon dioxide, and that flooded
fields upstream hold water to prevent damage to property
downstream. They also show that natural spaces promote activity

and, by extension, a healthy society. These are just some of the

benefits people get from nature’s ‘ecosystem services’.

Some ecosystem services are fundamental: clean air and food

production, for example. Others are a little more abstract, such as FloiondthsteoUrapgpeeartRGaaylMloewasdBorwidsg.(eBBFOaWrmT)

our enjoyment of wildlife. While abstract benefits are difficult to

put a price on, others have a

market value. One example of a

service that can be given a of increased carbon storage, its contribution to clean water, flood

monetary value is water storage and, of course, recreation opportunities.”

purification. If water picks up BBOWT’s Chief Executive, Estelle Bailey, says this work is vital to

sediment it must be cleaned, at 29 ensure the benefits of the Trust’s work are better recognised.
a cost, before it can be used for
“Some conservationists are

drinking. Flood storage is Highest number of uncomfortable about exercises
another, because damaged individual ecosystem
properties bear a substantial services identified from that use economic valuations
financial cost. a single BBOWT nature
when talking about nature. They
BBOWT recently completed reserve.
an initial review of the ecosystem worry that you can devalue the

54 natural environment if you put a
price on it. But that’s not what this

services that our nature reserves Number of BBOWT nature work is about.

provide. Ecosystem Services reserves making an “As well as celebrating the

Policy Analyst, Karen Haysom identifiable contribution priceless experience of, say, seeing

undertook the review: “It came as to water quality and a kingfisher for the first time, we’re

a surprise just how important our flood regulation. making sure we can demonstrate

nature reserves are, particularly for why society needs robust

recreation and for storing carbon ecosystems beyond our nature reserves, and that restoring wildlife is

as part of climate regulation. actually cost effective.”

“For example, disturbing soil by 167,000 Talking politics
ploughing it releases greenhouse
Tom Beckett, Director of External Affairs,
gases into the atmosphere. Yet Number of people living explains why our ecosystem services
work is so important
the way almost all of our nature within 5km of Iffley A countryside full of wildlife: just pretty
to look at or an absolute necessity?
reserves are managed means they Meadows nature reserve. Every politician asks this question when
we fight our cause. We know that a
actually store more carbon wildlife-rich landscape has value – we
see its intrinsic beauty. It is a shame this isn’t enough.
because soil is formed rather than lost. Carbon stocks are traded
Putting a value on ecosystem services allows us to talk
just like shares on the stock market, so we can place an economic the language of politicians. In return we hope to secure
funding to better protect nature. Our timing couldn’t be
value on the carbon we store. Similarly, the amount of money better. The Government will soon enact its 25-year plan for
the environment, which is expected to focus on the value
people are willing to spend travelling to our nature reserves gives of nature.

some indication of how much they value the recreational benefit With the future of farming subsidies also under review
as the UK prepares to leave the EU, it’s crucial that we
they bring.” demonstrate the public value generated by supporting
habitat restoration on farmland. Achieving our vision of an
Money in the mud environment rich in wildlife valued by all, is dependent on
more farmers adopting wildlife friendly practices. That needs
While the review is primarily aimed at understanding which decision-makers to understand both the economic and true
nature reserves provide specific benefits, BBOWT will be carrying values of a countryside that works for people and wildlife.
out further work to estimate the monetary value of some of
the services our nature reserves provide. In the coming months Our work at Chimney Meadows builds the evidence we
we will calculate the financial value of the benefits to society of need to show that our way of working with nature is in the
converting Chimney Meadows from a commercial farm to a best interests of the public. In time we hope this evidence
nature reserve. will result in more funding being directed towards habitat
conservation right across our countryside.
Karen explains why we’re doing it: “When a farm comes out of
intensive production you might assume that the value of the services
produced from the land goes down as much less food is grown. But
our initial assessment shows precisely the opposite. Of course, the
direct income we get from the land is lower than if we still grew crops
on it. However, as well as the huge increase in wildlife seen as a result
of becoming a nature reserve, there are also the considerable public
benefits of managing the land more naturally, including the value

Wildlife news / April 2017 9