Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
atmospheric components. They offer water puri-
i cation services by i ltering organic and inor-
ganic impurities and provide protective services,
which guard against destruction from l ood and
storm events. By sequestering large amounts of
carbon in soil and plant matter, wetlands also
play vital roles in regulating the Earth's climate.
These diverse services are coupled with their
roles as fresh-water storage areas and transpor-
tation links to ferry goods and people.
Human ingenuity and technological innova-
tions have allowed for a diverse set of economic
goods to be extracted from wetland sites. Com-
munities in parts of the developing world in
particular depend on resources from wetland
sites to meet their everyday livelihood needs
of food, fuel, shelter, i ber, and water. Mean-
while, the extractive sector of the economy has
benei ted from products such as animal pelts,
peat, i sh and shelli sh, fuel, timber, agricultural
and ranching land, and hydropower. Pearl pro-
duction is a simple form of aquaculture with
positive impacts on wetlands and the economy,
and pearl farmers have a keen interest in
protecting waters and life in coastal and reef
areas. Finally, the aesthetic appeal of these land-
scapes has also provided economic benei ts.
Recreation and tourism are major economic
drivers providing important sources of local
employment and often leading conservation and
protection efforts.
Given these numerous functions, services
and products, the sustainable management of
wetland environments is critical. A i rst step in
this endeavor is the establishment and protec-
tion of well-dei ned and socially relevant pro-
perty-rights regimes. Identifying the most
appropriate policies or management strategies
requires a careful valuation of this resource.
Valuation techniques have transitioned from
focusing primarily on the economic benei ts
accrued, to more holistic considerations that
include ecological, social, cultural, and eco-
nomic benei ts and attempt to account for exter-
nalities. Valuing wetlands in this way helps
account for their full ecosystem and societal
services and benei ts.
