Estimation of the Value of Forest Ecosystem Services in Pudacuo National Park, China

Abstract

Forest ecosystems play an important role in maintaining the stability of the biosphere and improving the ecological environment. The valuation of forest ecosystem services provides data to support the implementation of forest ecosystem conservation and the development of ecological-compensation standards. We used multiple sources of data, such as remote-sensing and ground data, and we employed the methods of substitute market, shadow project, and contingent valuation. We valued the forest ecosystem services of Pudacuo National Park in Shangri-La, China, which consisted of six functions: soil conservation, forest nutrient retention, water conservation, carbon fixation and oxygen released, forest health care, and atmospheric environmental purification. The results showed that: the value of forest ecological services in Pudacuo National Park was 4.49 × 109 yuan·a−1, with higher values of carbon fixation and oxygen released, water conservation, and forest health care, in the following order: carbon fixation and oxygen released (3.85 × 109 yuan·a−1), water conservation (3.40 × 108 yuan·a−1), forest health care (1.44 × 108 yuan·a−1), soil conservation (1.15 × 108 yuan·a−1), forest nutrient retention (3.29 × 107 yuan·a−1), and atmosphere environmental purification (1.17 × 107 yuan·a−1). In addition, the value of services per stand and unit area is discussed, and the results of the study will inform the government’s ecological-compensation criteria in high-quality environmental areas.

Evaluation of the Degree of the Value Realization of Ecological Products of the Forest Ecological Bank in Shunchang County

“…The production value accounting of the Shunchang forest ecosystem is based on China's forest ecosystem service function assessment specifications [17,18]. The difference between the production value per unit area of state-owned and non-state-owned forest land, combined with the ecological bank storage value, is the ecological value enhancement impact brought by the operation of Shunchang County's FEB to Shunchang County.…”

Burying the carbon to dig up the future

“…The adoption of the suggested management practices mentioned earlier enables market valuation of various soil ecosystem services. This includes the provision service, which involves boosting yield, the regulation service for climate change mitigation, and the support service that aids climate change adaptation (Chen et al, 2022). However, achieving an optimized carbon cycle through these practices presupposes that a prior transition from natural vegetation to agricultural land has occurred.…”

The Economic Value of Ecosystem Services in Pudacuo National Park, China

“…The study reveals that the total value of forest ecosystem services in the park amounts to an impressive 4.49 billion yuan per year, almost three times the 2019 GDP of Shangri-La County, underscoring the park's ecological and economic significance. It excels notably in carbon sequestration, water conservation, and forest health [1].…”

“…This practice relies on ecosystem service valuation, rooted in market theory, to quantify non-market ecosystem values and determine Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES). However, it acknowledges the difficulties in identifying compensated areas and ensuring equitable fund distribution, which can impact the efficiency and fairness of ecological compensation, thereby affecting both financial and ecological outcomes [1].…”