Ecosystem services information paper and policy workshop - Royal Society of New Zealand

To all Constituent Organisations of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Today the Royal Society of New Zealand has released an Emerging Issues
paper on ecosystem services. The natural economy provides us with many
natural goods and services, but most are not considered in economic
valuations. The paper describes how ecosystem services or processes
benefit human wellbeing and the need to include these in economic
decision-making. When these ecosystem services are not recognised in the
marketplace, it leads to decision-making failures.

Examples of ecosystems services are forests reducing soil erosion,
shellfish filtering water pollution, unfarmed areas improving natural pest
control on nearby farmland, and ecosystems providing recreation and
cultural value. Market systems can put a price on food, but the benefits
of many associated ecosystem services are not similarly recognised. The
economic value of those benefits can be as large as, or larger than the
pure market values. For many of those benefits the value is more social,
cultural and environmental and cannot be given an economic price.

Recognising the contributions of ecosystem services means more ecological,
social and economic factors can be included in the trade-offs taken into
account when making natural resource management decisions.

The challenge for ecosystem services research is to use these concepts in
policy-making. The Society is organising an “Ecosystem services in Policy
workshop” on the 9th of August to explore these issues further. Details
and a provisional programme are attached. The workshop is generously
hosted by the Ministry for the Environment; attendance is free, but please
register at:
http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/ecosystem-services

Kind regards,
Tracy Farr
Membership Support Officer

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The Royal Society of New Zealand
DDI: +64 4 470 5759
4 Halswell Street, Thorndon, PO Box 598, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
http://www.royalsociety.org.nz

Available Downloads:
Ecosystem services info
ES Policy Workshop flyer
ES Policy Workshop programme