Key directions for valuing ecosystem services and protected areas in Australia

Abstract

For most of human history the services provided to society from functioning natural ecosystems, while culturally appreciated by some, have largely been ‘taken-for-granted’. However, the accelerating scale and impact of human activity demands a profound re-evaluation of this mindset. While the concept of ecosystem services is gaining traction in policy arenas, the role of protected areas (including Indigenous and private protected areas) in delivering functioning ecosystem services, has not received the same attention. Appreciation of the many benefits and values flowing from protected areas has struggled to move beyond the margins of public debate or profoundly influence government and business decision-making. There are promising signs of change. Internationally the ‘ecosystem services’ approach to decision making has been developed through such major works as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005), the various TEEB analyses (TEEB, 2009) and the UK National Ecosystem Assessment (2011). In Australia, approaches to both accounting and valuation are under active development, and are being tested at national, state and local levels. This will assist in developing a much stronger basis for accounting for and valuing the full range of the benefits and services provided by natural ecosystems and protected areas, assessing trends in health and the outcomes of investing in conservation management and the consequences and costs of failing to do so. Looking at nature conservation through an economic lens brings both risks and opportunities. The challenge is to acknowledge and guard against the risks, not oversell the advantages, and make the most of the opportunities this perspective opens for influencing policy and mobilising resources for the benefit of nature conservation in the 21st century. The following steps are vital in seeking a more comprehensive and science-based approach to recognising the values and benefits of natural systems and, in particular, the important role of protected areas, which should be understood and highly valued as the core of the ‘green infrastructure’ of our country.