TY - JOUR

T1 - Integrated assessment, valuation and mapping of ecosystem services and dis-services from upland land use in Wales

AU - Hardaker, Ashley

AU - Pagella, Tim

AU - Rayment, Mark

PY - 2020/6

Y1 - 2020/6

N2 - Upland land use in Wales has high potential value in relation to the delivery of ecosystem services which is currently uncaptured. In this study we assessed the ecosystem services and dis-services generated by the two dominant land uses (forestry and agricultural) in the uplands of Wales in qualitative and monetary units. We also mapped the distribution of ecosystem services and dis-services across the two dominant land uses. Our results provide an initial baseline estimate of the supply and economic value of ecosystem services and dis-services from upland forestry and agricultural land use in Wales. The qualitative assessment showed the highest levels of ecosystem service supply were derived from forestry land use and the highest levels of ecosystem dis-services were derived from agricultural land use. The economic value of ecosystem service benefits from upland land use in Wales is £1,472.25 million year−1 and the total costs of ecosystem dis-services are £101.54 million year−1 using 2018 values. When an economic weighting is applied the per hectare economic value of ecosystem service benefits from agriculture at £1,434.02 ha−1 year−1 is higher than that of forestry at £1,261.09 ha−1 year−1 and the per hectare costs of ecosystem dis-services from agriculture at £96.10 ha−1 year−1 was marginally lower than that of forestry at £98.58 ha−1 year−1. Overall our results highlight an imbalance in the current delivery of ecosystem services from upland land use in Wales with the majority of benefits coming in the form of private benefits through provisioning services. By using systematic qualitative and economic assessment tools this study has highlighted critical data gaps and provides a basis for rebalancing ecosystem service delivery and increasing levels of public benefits through expansion of tree cover within the Welsh uplands. Our mapping highlights where land use adaption and transformation may be approached to address the imbalance in ecosystem service supply.

AB - Upland land use in Wales has high potential value in relation to the delivery of ecosystem services which is currently uncaptured. In this study we assessed the ecosystem services and dis-services generated by the two dominant land uses (forestry and agricultural) in the uplands of Wales in qualitative and monetary units. We also mapped the distribution of ecosystem services and dis-services across the two dominant land uses. Our results provide an initial baseline estimate of the supply and economic value of ecosystem services and dis-services from upland forestry and agricultural land use in Wales. The qualitative assessment showed the highest levels of ecosystem service supply were derived from forestry land use and the highest levels of ecosystem dis-services were derived from agricultural land use. The economic value of ecosystem service benefits from upland land use in Wales is £1,472.25 million year−1 and the total costs of ecosystem dis-services are £101.54 million year−1 using 2018 values. When an economic weighting is applied the per hectare economic value of ecosystem service benefits from agriculture at £1,434.02 ha−1 year−1 is higher than that of forestry at £1,261.09 ha−1 year−1 and the per hectare costs of ecosystem dis-services from agriculture at £96.10 ha−1 year−1 was marginally lower than that of forestry at £98.58 ha−1 year−1. Overall our results highlight an imbalance in the current delivery of ecosystem services from upland land use in Wales with the majority of benefits coming in the form of private benefits through provisioning services. By using systematic qualitative and economic assessment tools this study has highlighted critical data gaps and provides a basis for rebalancing ecosystem service delivery and increasing levels of public benefits through expansion of tree cover within the Welsh uplands. Our mapping highlights where land use adaption and transformation may be approached to address the imbalance in ecosystem service supply.

U2 - 10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101098

DO - 10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101098

M3 - Article

VL - 43

JO - Ecosystem Services

JF - Ecosystem Services

SN - 2212-0416

M1 - 101098

ER -