Methodology for payment for ecosystem services based on the concept of land use and management capability

Abstract

Global population growth drives the increase in demand for water and food. Consequently, there is a build‐up of pressure for land use for agricultural production, creating the necessity of sacrificing areas previously occupied by the native land cover to create production areas. However, globally, the possibilities of agricultural frontier expansion are limited, and agricultural expansion activities conducted without adequate planning can accelerate the erosive processes that decrease the potential land production capability. In an attempt to attenuate environmental imbalances, payment for ecosystem services (PES) programmes have been created, highlighting the possibility of their being applied in the agricultural sector. This study developed a methodology for PES that follows the basic principles of the land use capability classification system proposed by the United States Department of Agriculture. However, the study aimed to make the classification process operational in a way that notes the conditions in which a rural property maintains its production capability without jeopardizing its environmental role. In this way, it is possible to evaluate whether a rural property is suitable to receive PES. To detail the steps for applying the methodology, a case study was conducted on a rural property in the town of Itabira, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

Land use capability classification adaptation in low and intermediate technology farming systems: A soil erosion indicator

“…Over time, new applications have been developed for this system: criteria for calculating the monetary value of agricultural lands (Freitas et al., 2018), a proxy of nutrient losses by leaching (Lilburne, Lynn, & Webb, 2016) and a tool to identify farms eligible to receive payment for environmental services (Monteiro, Pruski, Calegario, Oliveira, & Pereira, 2018), among others. Applications of this nature are subject to criticism for distancing themselves from the initial objectives of the system.…”

Land use capability at recharge zones

“…Conservation planning is the result of the need to reduce the impacts of agricultural activities and to guarantee the productive capacity of soils and the provision of environmental services for the future (Cimon‐Morin, Darveau, & Poulin, 2013; Egoh et al., 2008; Monteiro, Pruski, Calegario, Oliveira, & Pereira, 2018; Pruski, 2009). It is based on considering that each portion of the land has a specific use capacity based on its characteristics (i.e., relief and soil type) and the specific socioeconomic statuses of the owners (Lepsch, Espindola, Vischi Filho, Hernani, & Siqueira, 2015).…”

Articulação entre pagamento por serviços ambientais e planos diretores: uma análise de municípios brasileiros

“…Ao considerar internacionalmente as relações entre PSA e instrumentos de planejamento territorial, buscou-se por artigos científicos que analisassem a contribuição dos esquemas de PSA para o alcance dos objetivos definidos em instrumentos de planejamento territorial (não somente planos diretores). Foram encontrados artigos nos quais os autores apontaram algum tipo de articulação entre PSA e os instrumentos de planejamento em diferentes recortes territoriais, a saber: em escala nacional (HIEDANPÄ et al, 2016;HOLGUIN et al, 2007;LATAWIEC et al, 2014;QU et al, 2017;SLEE et al, 2014;ZHANG;PAGIOLA, 2011), em recortes administrativos subnacionais, como estados e municípios (HERRERA et al, 2019;MONTEIRO et al, 2018;TORRES-MIRALLES;GRAMMATIKOPOULOU;RESCIA, 2017), em bacias hidrográficas (CARO-BORRERO et al, 2015;KOLINJIVADI et al, 2015;MOHEBALIAN;AGUILAR, 2018;SEELIGER;HORN;KLOPPERS, 2018;TAFFARELLO et al, 2018;WANJALA et al, 2018) e em outros recortes de áreas de interesse para a proteção ambiental como florestas, vales e parques nacionais (FLORES VELÁSQUEZ et al, 2008;MARINO et al, 2014;RIVAL, 2013; VAN VLEET et al, 2016).…”

“…práticas de conservação da vegetação associadas ao plano de uso do solo com objetivo de manter o nível produtivo das fazendas da região sem prejudicar o meio ambiente (MONTEIRO et al, 2018).. Na Espanha, no Pântano de San Juan (Madri), o Plano Florestal da Comunidade de Madri (Plan Forestal de la Comunidad de Madrid) tem como objetivo promover ações de proteção contra incêndio, de conservação da fauna e seus habitats e de recreação, tendo o PSA como um de seus instrumentos (FLORES VELÁSQUEZ et al, 2008). O PSA cumpriu a função de melhoria da estrutura para o turismo, fortalecimento do combate a incêndios, conservação dos recursos naturais e promoção de benefícios financeiros para as entidades ambientais locais.…”