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Reasons for Adoption and Advocacy of the Ecosystem Services Concept in UK Forestry

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  • Raum, Susanne

Abstract

The ecosystem services concept has enjoyed widespread interest and recognition in recent years. In particular, the monetary valuation and commodification of ecosystem services in form of payments for ecosystem services schemes and the development of new markets for ecosystem services has appreciated large popularity. However, who is behind this strong momentum towards ecosystem services and especially why is less well known. In this paper I aim to shed light on this by looking specifically at advocates of the concept of ecosystem services, using forestry in the United Kingdom (UK) as an example. I explore the motivations for accommodating or actively pursuing ecosystem services thinking in this important sector through interviews with forestry and conservation experts. Four prominent groups with a specific interest in the ecosystem services concept in the context of UK forestry are governmental organisations, non-governmental conservation organisations, private forest owners, and the timber and forest industry. These stakeholder groups are interested in this new perspective, chiefly, but not exclusively, because (1) it is required under international obligations; (2) it is in line with dominant market political philosophy; (3) it holds the promise to include the environment more fully into prevailing economic decision-making processes; (4) it can help to draw more attention to biodiversity conservation; (5) it holds the promise of new sources of income from both public and private sources; and (6) it can be used as a convenient argument to promote further tree planting. However, these groups have different, but frequently overlapping reasons for pursuing this new perspective. The results provide a baseline and important insights into who was embracing ecosystem services thinking and why during the early years of the adoption of this approach in the UK.

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  • Raum, Susanne, 2018. "Reasons for Adoption and Advocacy of the Ecosystem Services Concept in UK Forestry," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 47-54.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:143:y:2018:i:c:p:47-54
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.07.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Braat, Leon C. & de Groot, Rudolf, 2012. "The ecosystem services agenda:bridging the worlds of natural science and economics, conservation and development, and public and private policy," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 4-15.
    2. Fisher, Janet A. & Brown, Katrina, 2014. "Ecosystem services concepts and approaches in conservation: Just a rhetorical tool?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 257-265.
    3. A S Mather, 2001. "Forests of Consumption: Postproductivism, Postmaterialism, and the Postindustrial Forest," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 19(2), pages 249-268, April.
    4. Clive Potter & Steven Wolf, 2014. "Payments for ecosystem services in relation to US and UK agri-environmental policy: disruptive neoliberal innovation or hybrid policy adaptation?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 31(3), pages 397-408, September.
    5. Norgaard, Richard B., 2010. "Ecosystem services: From eye-opening metaphor to complexity blinder," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 1219-1227, April.
    6. Muradian, Roldan & Rival, Laura, 2012. "Between markets and hierarchies: The challenge of governing ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 93-100.
    7. Amacher, Gregory S. & Ollikainen, Markku & Uusivuori, Jussi, 2014. "Forests and ecosystem services: Outlines for new policy options," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 1-3.
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    1. Jang-Hwan Jo & Taewoo Roh & Jongmin Hwang & Kyeong-hak Lee & Changbae Lee, 2020. "Factors and Paths Affecting Payment for Forest Ecosystem Service: Evidence from Voluntary Forest Carbon Market in South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-18, August.
    2. Kieslich, Marcus & Salles, Jean-Michel, 2021. "Implementation context and science-policy interfaces: Implications for the economic valuation of ecosystem services," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    3. Pecurul-Botines, Mireia & Di Gregorio, Monica & Paavola, Jouni, 2019. "Multi-level processes and the institutionalization of forest conservation discourses: Insights from Natura 2000," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 136-145.
    4. Altmann, Alexandre & Berger Filho, Airton Guilherme, 2020. "Certification and labeling for conservation of ecosystem services in the Pampa Biome: Case study of the Aliança do Pastizal scheme," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    5. Jones, Kelly W. & Powlen, Kathryn & Roberts, Ryan & Shinbrot, Xoco, 2020. "Participation in payments for ecosystem services programs in the Global South: A systematic review," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    6. Raum, Susanne, 2018. "A framework for integrating systematic stakeholder analysis in ecosystem services research: Stakeholder mapping for forest ecosystem services in the UK," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 29(PA), pages 170-184.
    7. van Oudenhoven, Alexander P.E. & Aukes, Ewert & Bontje, Lotte E. & Vikolainen, Vera & van Bodegom, Peter M. & Slinger, Jill H., 2018. "‘Mind the Gap’ between ecosystem services classification and strategic decision making," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 33(PA), pages 77-88.

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