Partnering with Nature: How Communities Get Their Best Return on Environment
Details
Nature's financial benefits are generally not well-understood and are often undervalued in policy debates and investment decisions. A growing body of evidence shows that nature directly impacts our economy, quality of life, heath and cost of living. Unlike our ancestors, people today don’t make the connection between the value of forests and great bird habitat to the economy and our personal health and well-being. We all expect clean air, water, natural beauty and dry basements without understanding where they come from and what they are worth. Beyond their intrinsic value, natural systems are productive assets that account for millions of dollars each year in savings, earnings, avoided costs and attraction for economic development. Open space and healthy natural systems positively affect everything including economic development, health, recreation, flood control, water supply, water and air pollution control, pollination and habitat, free of charge. Once lost, this reliable green infrastructure is costly and difficult or impossible to replace. Given nature’s benefits, the highest and best use of land may not always be development.
Building on the research of Robert Costanza, the U.S. Forest Service and several county studies explain nature’s financial value proposition. For example, natural system restoration has shown investment returns of $7- $13 for every dollar spent. Implementing a system that provides the highest return on investment for home owners and communities is often complicated. The presentation explains the available implementation strategies and the ones that provide the highest return on Environment.
John Rogers is an environmental consultant, award winning planner, researcher, teacher and author. For 40 years, John worked as an environmental consultant on environmental science and policy issues across the United States and Canada for both public and private organizations. Trained as a plant ecologist, planner and businessman, John brings an integrated perspective to nature’s value proposition.