Mapping community values for natural capital and ecosystem services

Due to the growing attention of society to the conservation of natural capital and ecosystem services, ecosystem accounting is becoming a significant tool for achieving sustainable development goals both at the national and international levels. Environmental accounting improves the way natural capital and ecosystem services are identified and valued. The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting is an international standard accounting developed by the United Nations. The ecosystem accounting system generates environmental and economic reports necessary for effective management decisions and external disclosure of environmental information. The possibility of environmental accounting lies in the development of systems that integrate information rather than create disconnected, discrete repositories of information. With the introduction of an ecosystem accounting system, it is possible to jointly review and compare disparate sources of information reflecting the state of natural capital and ecosystem services. The introduction of a system of ecosystem accounting contributes to the achievement of sustainable development goals. The result of the implementation of the eco-system accounting system is a decision support system. The author proposes to consider the system of environmental-ecosystem accounting as a reliable and effective platform for providing more complete information on the availability and sufficiency of certain types of ecosystem services and natural capital.

The National Forests of the United States encompass 192.7 million acres (78 million hectares) of land, which is nearly five percent of the total land area of the nation. These lands are managed by the US Forest Service (USFS) for multiple uses, including extraction of timber, production of fossil fuels and minerals, public recreation, and the preservation of biodiversity, clean air, water, and soils. The USFS is interested in valuing the natural capital within, and the ecosystem services provided by, their lands. This is in part to justify expenditures in a time of limited resources. We used emergy and an environmental accounting approach, to quantify the ecosystem services, the exported environmental goods and information provided by National Forest System (NFS) lands, and the natural capital residing on those lands. Environmental accounting using emergy provides a method to value these flows of services and storages of capital using a common biophysical unit, the solar emjoule and its monetary equivalent the emdollar. We compare emdollar values to economic values gleaned from the literature. In 2005, the ecosystem services provided by USFS lands were equivalent to 197 billion emdollars, and the value of NFS natural capital was 24.3 trillion emdollars. Our evaluation suggests that the Federal Government budget allocation for the NFS ($5.55E+09 in 2005) was well spent, protecting 24.3 trillion emdollars in natural capital and insuring annual ecosystem services totaling 197 billion emdollars. Monetary values for some natural capital and ecosystem services are similar to emergy-derived values (resources like fish, wildlife, water, and firewood extracted from forests), and others are widely different (biodiversity, fossil, and mineral resources). There is large uncertainty associated with computing the environment’s contributions to society whether using emergy or accepted economic techniques; yet, the magnitude of these emergy-derived estimates suggests that even with the uncertainty, the values are significant and monetary expenditures for the Forest Service are justified.

A framework for classifying and quantifying the natural capital and ecosystem services of soils

Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services: The Ecological Foundation of Human Society

Common asset trusts to effectively steward natural capital and ecosystem services at multiple scales

From a folklife perspective, I address consequences of thinking of the environment as natural capital that provides ecosystem services to people: services that include heritage, both cultural and natural. I examine contemporary environmental policy to reveal advantages and limitations in thinking of folklife and heritage as ecosystem services, and a need to think beyond ecosystem services to ways that folklore studies may contribute to ecojustice. Natural capital and ecosystem services deem the environment to be a commodity, but ecojustice conceives of nature as a community.

Topicality. Military conflicts significantly affect natural assets and ecosystem services, including water resources, forests and soils. The war in eastern Ukraine is leading to serious environmental impacts, including water pollution, deforestation and soil degradation. Military operations in Ukraine have caused significant damage to natural ecosystems, which has significantly affected the provision of ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are the benefits that people receive from the functioning of natural ecosystems. The loss of these services caused by war has both environmental and economic consequences. This study examines methods for economically assessing the loss of ecosystem services, including forest, water and agricultural resources, which have been destroyed by military operations. Scientists emphasize the need to integrate environmental aspects into post-war recovery processes to minimize losses and restore natural assets. Land is a natural asset, and it should be taken into account that changing landscapes from natural vegetation to any other use can lead to a loss of fertility as a source of ecosystem services. The topic of valuing the loss of ecosystem services is relevant and important for sustainable development. Aim and tasks. The purpose of our study is to study the impact of military actions on the natural assets of Ukraine and assess potential ways to restore ecosystem services after the end of the war. Materials and methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study is institutional, retrospective, systemic analysis and the case method, which is based on real facts and materials about the restoration of natural assets in European countries in the post-war years. The information base of the study was scientific and applied developments and information and analytical materials of Ukrainian and foreign scientists and practitioners. Research results. The topic of restoring natural assets and lost ecosystem services caused by military actions is relevant and important for sustainable development. Research in this area shows that the economic assessment of the loss of ecosystem services should include not only direct economic losses, but also environmental and social consequences. Among the services provided by ecosystems and lost due to war, supply services, regulatory services, supporting, cultural and recreational services should be mentioned. To restore Ukraine's natural assets after the end of military actions, it is necessary to develop an ecological rehabilitation strategy. Soil restoration is an important element of this strategy. Therefore, it is important to study and systematize the losses in order to further search for ways to restore natural assets. The study systematizes the loss of ecosystem services, including the loss of land fertility after military intervention, and considers ways to restore fertility. We also proposed the introduction of a fee for failure to comply with restoration measures, which leads to a decrease in fertility and a decrease in product quality. This fee should contribute to a change in priorities in the choice of crops and increase corporate responsibility of the business. We have created a decision-making algorithm for planning enterprise costs, taking into account environmental risk planning. The introduction of this algorithm should contribute to a change in priorities in decision-making and contribute to the restoration of fertility. Conclusion. Losses of natural assets and ecosystem services as a result of military actions in Ukraine are not only ecological, but also economic in nature. Valuing such losses is an important step in developing effective measures for environmental restoration and sustainable development.

Valuing natural capital and ecosystem services toward the goals of efficiency, fairness, and sustainability

This study was conducted to estimate the impact of land use/land cover (LULC) changes on the ecosystem service value (ESV) in the Upper Blue Nile basin over three-decade (1986–2020). The findings revealed that there is a decline in total ESV from US$ 492.77 × 106 in 1986 to US$ 400.65 × 106 for the year 2020. The ESV lost between 1986 and 2020 was about US$ 92.11 × 106. In terms of the individual ecosystem services, the contribution of all service values declined except food production and biological control. Among the major contributors of ESVs, food production, water regulation, erosion control, climate regulation, nutrient cycling, waste treatment, and water supply represent 89%, 88%, 86% in 1986, 2003, and 2020, respectively. Soil erosion and sediment transport under environmental pressure significantly contributed for the loss of ecosystem services (ES) in the sub-basin. In addition, FGD and KII ranked provisioning ecosystem services first in order of importance for communities in the study area. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the sustainable conservation and restoration of natural resources through natural vegetation protection, enhanced vegetation cover, conservation practices and wetland management to enhance the natural capital and ecosystem services in the Muger Sub-basin.

Resource depletion, land-use change, and population growth triggered by the industrial revolution represent serious issues shared globally that have altered the structure, processes, and functions of ecosystems and had significant impacts on human well-being and survival security. This paper assesses changes in ecosystem service values (ESVs) in karst areas based on the perspective of land-use change. Guizhou province, which is typical of the South China Karst (SCK) ecologically fragile areas, was taken as a research subject. The past, current, and future spatial-temporal evolution of karst ESVs were assessed, using equivalence factors and CA-Markov modelling methods. The results show that: (1) from 1980 to 2040, arable land, woodland, and grassland occupy the main land types in the study area; at the same time, the water and built-up areas show a steady growth trend, with dramatic land use shifts occurring in the western, middle, and northern parts. (2) The overall ESVs increased by US$ 31.12 million during the study period, showing a temporal change trend of first decreasing and then increasing; forest land, grassland, and arable land area shift are the main factors of ESVs change; soil conservation, biodiversity conservation, and gas regulation functions are enhanced and play a vital role in the single ESVs increase; ESVs show a basin-type spatial distribution pattern. (3) The sensitivity index is <1, the ESV is inelastic to the VC factor adjustment, and the results are true and valid. This paper found that using quantitative methods to predict land use change of the South China Karst can provide accurate assessment of the differences in supply and demand for natural and social ecosystem services (ES) in a region, clarifying the trade-offs and synergies of ecosystem service functions, contributing to the achievement of sustainable development, and providing a practical reference for global land landscape optimization and land resource planners.

The La Antigua watershed drains into the Gulf of Mexico and can be considered as one of the most important areas in Mexico because of its high productivity, history, and biodiversity, although poverty remains high in the area in spite of these positive attributes. In this study, we performed an integrated assessment of the watershed to recommend a better direction toward a sustainable management in which the four capitals (natural, human, social, and built) are balanced. We contrasted these four capitals in the municipalities of the upper, middle and lower watershed and found that natural capital (natural ecosystems and ecosystem services) was higher in the upper and middle watershed, while human and social capitals (literacy, health, education and income) were generally higher downstream. Overall, Human Development Index was negatively correlated with the percentage of natural ecosystems in the watershed, especially in the upper and lower watershed regions. Our results indicate that natural capital must be fully considered in projections for increasing human development, so that natural resources can be preserved and managed adequately while sustaining intergenerational well-being.

The nature–business nexus is increasingly recognized for its vital role in sustaining ecosystem services and advancing sustainable development. This paper provides an interdisciplinary review of research at the intersection of soil science and the Business, Management, and Accounting (BMA) domain. Using bibliometric tools, thematic and temporal analysis, and a knowledge graph, the study traces the evolution of four key themes (linked to fifteen sub-themes): Soil Pollution Management and Environmental Remediation, Life Cycle and Environmental Impact, Sustainability and Ecosystems, and Agricultural Practices and Efficiency. These are grouped into two overarching domains: (1) Soil Health, Environmental, and Technical Management and (2) Circular Economy, Ecosystem Services, and Sustainable Development. The review highlights the emerging role of soil as natural capital within broader systems thinking frameworks that integrate environmental stewardship and socio-economic goals. It demonstrates that soil health management is central to the provision and regulation of ecosystem services, with implications for climate action, food security, and sustainability transitions. The findings suggest that BMA and natural science scholars should adopt holistic and forward-looking approaches that align short-term agricultural needs with long-term sustainability objectives. Such integration is critical for enhancing soil ecosystem resilience, informing public policy, and embedding soil stewardship within sustainable development strategies.

The Multiscale Integrated Model of Ecosystem Services (MIMES): Simulating the interactions of coupled human and natural systems

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility of natural capital accounting for the purpose of strengthening sustainability claims by reporting entities. The study showed how riparian land improvement influenced ecosystem services which could be measured in the context of financial reporting. The authors tested options for incorporating natural capital concepts into financial accounting practices under existing accounting standards specifically: on the balance sheet. Design/methodology/approach A case study approach was used with an Australian water utility that has accountabilities to protect the environment, including maintaining and enhancing riparian land assets. The authors examined internal data sources, stakeholder engagement outcomes, physical assets, monetary valuation processes and financial recognition of natural capital income and assets. Natural capital income was estimated by process-based ecological modelling and ecosystem services were valued in relation to stormwater filtration and carbon storage using data from both internal and external sources. Findings The authors demonstrated how an environmental agency can disclose natural capital as a class of assets on the balance sheet. The authors also found that current accounting standards allow the recognition of some types of environmental assets where ecosystem services were associated with cost savings. The proof-of-concept used for asset measurement through ecosystem service modelling proved useful to strengthen sustainability claims or report financial returns on natural capital investment. Originality/value While many studies have examined environmental disclosures in voluntary reports, this study established that natural assets can be included on the balance sheet of financial statements, offering a robust approach to measuring and reporting on natural capital. It did so by applying financial accounting processes and principles to a real-world natural capital management scenario with direct participation and cooperation between the asset manager, academic researchers and a government environment agency, bridging the gap between theory and practice.

The ecology education community has focused on the suite of knowledge and competencies that constitute environmental literacy, including self-knowledge, evidence-based habits of mind, and ecological concepts and connections (Jordan et al., 2009). Whereas the environmental education (EE) community also is concerned with knowledge, it further embraces goals related to changing attitudes and behavior. In both of these sub-disciplines, educational researchers most often focus on outcomes of specific interventions. Less attention has been paid to the interrelations among the ecological or environmental education activities themselves and the larger social-ecological system. This poster will explore the notion of an ecology of EE, and will attempt to situate EE within a social-ecological framework, such as those proposed by Grimm, Pickett and other ecological researchers who focus on coupled human-natural systems.Using civic ecology education as an example, we explore the interrelations among an educational program and the social and bio-geo-physical components of a larger system. Civic ecology education refers to youth programs where learning is situated in community gardening, community forestry, habitat restoration, and similar small-scale, emergent environmental stewardship or civic ecology practices, which have both social and ecological outcomes. When an educational program is situated in these practices, it may become part of a virtuous feedback loop, in which youth and adult stewardship actions contribute to natural capital, which in turn produces ecosystem services. Social capital may also be enhanced through multiple mechanisms, e.g., youth and adult participation in the civic ecology activity, and through the green spaces created through their activity, both of which provide opportunities for people to socialize, build trust, and participate in the civic life of their community. In addition to viewing EE’s role in feedback loops, we consider EE as a driver of human behavior, as a mediator of human impact on the social and bio-physical environment, and as a mediator of the way in which humans use ecosystem services.Should EE situated in civic ecology practice contribute both directly and indirectly to social and natural capital and ecosystem services, then it may play a role in social-ecological systems resilience. Here we show management and educational applications for a conceptual framework focusing on EE’s role in social-ecosystems and their resilience.