A decision framework for identifying models to estimate forest ecosystem services gains from restoration
Restoring degraded forests and agricultural lands has become a global conservation priority. A growing number of tools can quantify ecosystem service tradeoffs associated with forest restoration. This evolving “tools landscape” presents a dilemma: more tools are available, but selecting appropriat...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2016-02-01
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| Series: | Forest Ecosystems |
| Online Access: | http://forestecosyst.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40663-016-0062-y |
| Summary: | Restoring degraded forests and agricultural lands has become a global conservation priority. A growing number of
tools can quantify ecosystem service tradeoffs associated with forest restoration. This evolving “tools landscape”
presents a dilemma: more tools are available, but selecting appropriate tools has become more challenging.
We present a Restoration Ecosystem Service Tool Selector (RESTS) framework that describes key characteristics
of 13 ecosystem service assessment tools. Analysts enter information about their decision context, services to be
analyzed, and desired outputs. Tools are filtered and presented based on five evaluative criteria: scalability, cost,
time requirements, handling of uncertainty, and applicability to benefit-cost analysis. RESTS uses a spreadsheet
interface but a web-based interface is planned. Given the rapid evolution of ecosystem services science, RESTS
provides an adaptable framework to guide forest restoration decision makers toward tools that can help quantify
ecosystem services in support of restoration.
Keywords: Decision support, Ecosystem services, Forest restoration, Modeling, Valuation, Comparative tools
assessment |
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| ISSN: | 2095-6355 2197-5620 |