Beyond Ecosystem Services: Valuing the Invaluable

Richard M Gunton; Eline N van Asperen; Andrew Basden; David Bookless; Yoseph Araya; David R Hanson; Mark A Goddard; George Otieno; Gareth O Jones

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2017.01.002

Beyond Ecosystem Services: Valuing the Invaluable

Trends Ecol Evol. 2017 Apr;32(4):249-257. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.01.002. Epub 2017 Feb 16.

Authors

Richard M Gunton¹, Eline N van Asperen², Andrew Basden³, David Bookless⁴, Yoseph Araya⁵, David R Hanson⁶, Mark A Goddard⁷, George Otieno⁸, Gareth O Jones⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; West Yorkshire School of Christian Studies, Outwood House, Leeds LS18 4JN, UK. Electronic address: rmg@cantab.net.
² Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LA, UK.
³ Salford Business School, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK.
⁴ A Rocha International, 89 Worship Street, London EC2A 2BF, UK; Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 9BS, UK.
⁵ School of Environment Earth & Ecosystems, Open University, Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK.
⁶ West Yorkshire School of Christian Studies, Outwood House, Leeds LS18 4JN, UK.
⁷ School of Civil Engineering & Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
⁸ School of Arts & Communication, Leeds Trinity University, Horsforth, Leeds LS18 5HD, UK.

PMID: 28214039
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.01.002

Abstract

The ecosystem services framework (ESF) is advantageous and widely used for itemising and quantifying ways in which humans benefit from natural places. However, it suffers from two important problems: (i) incoherence of definitions and (ii) a narrow approach to valuation, inadequate to represent the full range of human motives for conservation and the diverse interests of different stakeholders. These shortcomings can lead to a range of problems including double-counting, blind spots and unintended consequences. In this opinion article, we propose an ecosystem valuing framework as a broader and more rigorous way to deliver the benefits currently sought from the ESF, without the conceptual problems.

Keywords: aspectual analysis; cognitive; communal; ecological; ideological; multicriterion assessment; natural capital; value theory.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Conservation of Natural Resources*
Ecosystem*
Humans
Motivation