The Natural Capital Project:Putting ecosystem services

on the map

Taylor Ricketts

World Wildlife Fund – U.S.

The Natural Capital Project

Make conservation economically attractive– Develop science and policy tools to address

ecosystem services

– Apply tools in important places

– Support policies to maintain / pay for services

– Change the way ecosystems are viewed

The big picture

Choices

ServicesValueValuation

Policy & finance mechanisms

Actions

Production functions

Institutions Ecosystems

InformationInformation

Information

Polasky et al.Daily et al. in press. Frontiers in Ecology & Evolution

The science: InVEST

Choices

ServicesValueValuation

Policy & finance mechanisms

Actions

Production functions

Institutions Ecosystems

InformationInformation

Information

Polasky et al.

5

Scenarios (mapped)Management Climate Population

Biophysical ModelsMaps

Tradeoff curves

Balance sheets

Valuation ModelsMaps

Tradeoff curves

Balance sheets

InVESTStakeholders

InVEST

http://invest.ecoinformatics.org

BiodiversityPollinationCarbon Storage, Sequest.Timber & NTFP ProductionWater qualityWater quantity and timingAgricultural productionRecreation / TourismCultural and Non-use

Services modeledB

uilt

so fa

r

8

Tiered Approach

Tier 1 Tier 2

Spatial priorities

More precise valuation

Simple Complex

Models

Data

9

Upper Yangtze

EasternArc Mtns

SierraNevada

Four Demonstration Sites

Hawai’i

• test InVEST with field partners and experts• ensure useful, relevant• Refine models, input data

10

“Valuing the Arc”

Water yield

Carbon storage

Water paymentsWWF and CARE

REDD

Early results

Charcoal harvest

Compare to biodiversity

Next:Scenarios of change

Engaging stakeholders

14Additional sites

Mekong

Amazon Borneo &Sumatra

Puget Sound

MexicoAndes

Marine ecosystem services

Policy and Finance work

Choices

ServicesValueValuation

Policy & finance mechanisms

Actions

Production functions

Institutions Ecosystems

InformationInformation

Information

Polasky et al.

Policy implementation

Regulations

Payments

Markets

Fiscal incentives

What should NatCap do?

Approach

1. Basic introductions

2. Policy add-on’s for InVEST

3. Post-science: Implement policy approaches

4. Sophisticated policy analysis tools

First policy tool: ‘Top Ten’ Screening Criteria

Likely to succeed?

• Will the service & conservation be delivered?

• Are legal, institutional, social & economic conditions supportive?

StrongWeakInformation gap

Criteria Project 1 Project 2

1

2

3

4

5

…

www.naturalcapitalproject.org/ConEx

Challenges encounteredScience:

– lack of data– valuation with simple models– demand side: flows and beneficiaries

Policy:– all politics is local– appropriate central role

General:– expectations (time and precision)– tool support

21

Thanks…

NatCapKai ChanChris ColvinGretchen DailyHelen FoxPeter KareivaErik LonsdorfBruce McKenneyEmily McKenzieGuillermo MendozaBelinda MorrisRobin NaidooErik NelsonNasser OlweroSteve PolaskyJim RegetzSusan RuffoRebecca ShawHeather TallisChristine TamBuzz ThompsonMichael Wright

Valuing the ArcAndrew BalmfordNeil BurgessRhys GreenShadrack MwakalilaMathieu RougetRuth SwetnamKerry TurnerSue White…

SupportNSF-NCEASLeverhulme TrustPackard FoundationMacArthur FoundationMoore FoundationRoger and Vicki SantPeter and Helen Bing…

www.naturalcapitalproject.org