A new meaning for FOREST SERVICE

A New Meaning for FOREST SERVICE

Previously I have written ( January 2007) that I considered non-market value of forests “ imaginary money – empty pockets at the end of the day.”

There may be light in that forest.

Reading a “Valuation of forest ecosystem goods & services and forest natural capital of the Beijing Municipality, China, by Wu, Hou and Yuan, 2007… They conclude that when a “people/community” have to “forgo some forest uses”  in order to maintain a sustainable flow of forest protection services – these forgone benefits need to be compensated.

Has anyone read anything about compensation for our forest industry communities in Ontario? Canada?

China would impose an environmental tax and water resources fees to be used to “promote sustainable forests” or “compensate local communities.”  ( I don’t like the OR in there)

While Ontario Hydro does put money back into local communities, that is for the Nipigon River Water NOT forest non-market value as water retention in the soil/watershed protection.

This 2007 study is themed “Forests in the Service of People.”

The “framework” Hou and Wu used for their study makes it a lot easier to see where they are coming from.  Computing the “yuan” or “dollar” value as they say,”  calls for a certain degree of subjectivity.”

One value they use comes from the Biomass expansion factors of the IPCC, 2004 which places a tonne of CO2 at $23 U.S.

The “framework” divides into two sections:

Forest Natural Capital Stocks and Annual value flow of forest ecosystem goods and services.

Forest Natural Capital Stocks is divided into : Forest land assets; Standing timber assets; and Forest environmental assets.

The Annual value flow of forest ecosystem goods and services divides into three sub groups: Forest Goods; Forest Environmental Services; and Sociocultural Benefits

Forest Goods represents: Annual increment; products of economic forests; and non-wood forest products.

Forest environmental services splits into nine sections:

 Water Conservation

Soil Protection

Agricultural Protection

Carbon Sequestration and Oxygen Supply

Biodiversity Conservation

Air Purification/ Temperature Regulation

Forest Ecotourism

Job Opportunities

Science and Education

The Sociocultural Benefits are : Aesthetics and Living Conditions; Cultural/Artistic Services; and Spiritual/Historical Services.

All this number crunching is aimed at a “macro-level policy evaluation  within and beyond the Forest Sector.”

And, they figure once you have read this study it will get you started in having some real great debates.