The value of the Ecological Station of Jataí's ecosystem services and natural capital

Abstract

The capacity of a given natural ecosystem to provide certain goods and services that satisfy human needs depends on its environmental characteristics (natural processes and components). It was described the availability of these goods and services (environmental functions) controlled and sustained by ecological processes operating in Ecological Station of Jataí (Luiz Antônio, SP). The environmental functions identified were grouped in four main categories. To make environmental values an integrated factor in planning and decision making it was assessed their socio-economic importance in qualitative terms and, if possible their monetary value. The combined potential annual return from identified functions of Ecological Station of Jataí is at least US$ 708.83/ha/year. In comparison to calculations made for other natural ecosystems this is a rather moderate estimate. The Ecological Station of Jataí is poorly protected and managed, it too is still threatened by human activity (agriculture) and many development plans. Although present day market economics do not recognize the monetary value of most environmental functions, such calculations do provide a revealing insight into the great socio-economic importance of Ecological Station of Jataí. More awareness of these values may provide an important incentive for their preservation and sustainable use.Key words: ecosystem services, environmental functions, natural capital, natural conservation area. RESUMO O valor dos serviços dos ecossistemas e do capital natural da Estação Ecológica de JataíA capacidade de um determinado ecossistema natural proporcionar bens e serviços que satisfaçam as necessidades humanas depende de suas características ambientais (processos e componentes naturais). Foi descrita a disponibilidade desses bens e serviços (funções ambientais), controlados e mantidos pelos processos ecológicos operantes na Estação Ecológica de Jataí (Luiz Antônio, SP). As funções ambientais identificadas foram agrupadas em quatro categorias. Foi determinado o valor sócio-econômico das funções ambientais, em termos quali e quantitativos, quando possível, na perspectiva de integrar os valores ambientais nos processos de planejamento e tomada de decisão. O retorno sócio-econômico anual para as funções ambientais identificadas da Estação Ecológica de Jataí é de aproximadamente US$ 708,83/ha/ano. Em comparação com estimativas realizadas para outros ecossistemas naturais, esse valor é bastante moderado. A Estação Ecológica de Jataí demonstra ser pouco protegida, com sua manutenção comprometida por atividades humanas (agricultura) e muitos planos de desenvolvimento. Embora o mercado econômico não reconheça o valor monetário da maioria das funções ambientais, essas estimativas não revelam a grandeza da importância sócio-econômica da Estação Rev. Brasil. Biol., 172 SANTOS, J. E. et al.Ecológica de Jataí. Um interesse maior com esses valores pode proporcionar um incentivo importante para sua preservação e uso sustentado.Palavras-chave: serviços dos ecossistemas, funções ...

An ecological economics approach to estimate the value of a fragmented wetland in Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul state)

“…In other Brazilian studies, age, income, sex and education status had an effect on the WTP of the inhabitants of Jatai Ecological Station, in São Paulo-SP (Obara et al, 2000;Santos et al, 2001), whilst age and education were significant for environmental assets from Roraima (Pessoa and Ramos, 1998). Knowledge as a variable was also important in justifying the respondents WTP at Cananéia Mangrove/SP (Grasso et al, 1995).…”

“…The aggregated WTP was estimated by multiplying the median WTP by one-third of the citizens from the city from where the tourist originated, a literature assumption of the economically active population (Seroa da Motta, 1998;Santos et al, 2001;Schläpfer et al, 2004). The total population of cities registered was obtained from the census carried out by IBGE (http://www.ibge.gov.br/ censo2000).…”

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of environmental damages through instauration and registers of lawful documents

“…The natural environment provide benefits for society in various ways: through the environmental functions it contributed to climate regulation, soil formation, nutrient cycling, and supply of fuel, fibers and pharmaceutical substances (Balmford et al, 2002). These benefits should encourage the nature conservation in face of the increasing economic pressures on the natural environment, although their socio-economic evaluation was a difficult process (Santos et al, 2001) and not incorporated in the conventional economic activity, based mainly on the market analysis. The database registers did not have information to estimate what fraction of the deforested areas, particularly those higher than 5 ha, was reoccupied by natural vegetation or left in the landscape in different degrees of deterioration.…”

Economic valuation of the Emas waterfall, Mogi-Guaçu River, SP, Brazil

“…On the other hand, the Emas waterfall has values comparable to the Platte River (Loomis et al 2000), whose range of estimations lies well inside our confidence intervals. Finally, the ecosystem services of Jataí Ecological Station, which is a preserved reserve located about 70 kilometers from the Emas waterfall, were evaluated in 3.2 million dollars by Santos et al (2001). In this case they did not use the WTP, but their result allows forecasting the additional environmental goods and services provided by the Emas waterfall if it would be restored by any future project, as the two regions are very close geographically and share many biological and economical features.…”