Mapping and valuing habitat services: Two applications at local scale

Abstract

The importance of habitat services is recognised as crucial, particularly in respect of land-use planning and land management. To test an approach for valuing habitat services at a local scale, two case studies were done. In these studies we adopted the principle that both the physical and biological characteristics of an area are strictly related to its economic value, which will vary according to the environmental indicators that describe the area itself. Both case studies are located in the north-east of Italy. Biophysical mapping and monetary valuation were carried out in different ways raising a number of issues, such as where to start in terms of data provision; how to define/whether to keep the minimum reference unit; how to choose the proper environmental indicators and, eventually, calibrate them; how to choose the most effective valuation technique; how to assign weights to quantitative/ qualitative classifications in order to distribute monetary value over space; and how to solve certain technical issues when a specific category of monetary valuation techniques is chosen (e.g. stated and revealed preferences). The two case studies raise a number of challenging questions that must be addressed before even starting the valuation of habitat services. © 2012 Taylor & Francis.