Valuing Ecosystem Goods and Services Provided by Nati

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The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to conduct research on the economic valuation of ecosystem services provided by the National Wildlife Refuge System. Ecosystem goods and services can be characterized as components of the natural environment that enhance human well-being through direct or indirect enjoyment, consumption, or usage. The National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and consisting of over 500 refuges comprising 95 million acres, protect ecosystems that represent a diverse set of physical and biological landscapes in a wide variety of geographical settings. These federally protected lands provide a multitude of ecosystem goods and services to society, such as: clean water, clean air, flood mitigation, recreation, open space, and educational opportunities. Given their importance, management would benefit from an assessment of the ecosystem goods and services provided by NWRS lands accompanied by an estimate of their economic value. This information would serve as a valuable tool in understanding and expressing the biological and ecological importance of National Wildlife Refuges while making the link to how refuges contribute to the economic well-being of society. Furthermore, with the global nature of climate change the NWRS is extremely likely to experience varying degrees of biological and ecological impacts from changes in current climate characteristics, especially increased extremes in precipitation that will alter wetland productivity and ecosystem functions. Evaluating the economic value of ecosystem goods and services provided by National Wildlife Refuges would serve as an important starting point for assessing the economic benefits and costs associated with potential management responses to climate change impacts. Towards this end, the proposed study has the primary purpose of identifying and estimating a more comprehensive set of public benefits derived from National Wildlife Refuges beyond recreational use. Estimated values would help to characterize public benefits associated with National Wildlife Refuges, evaluate alternative management options in response to changing environmental and social conditions (e.g., climate change, prolonged economic recession, recreational interests), and identify areas for future research. The study objectives are as follows:1. Estimate economic values for selected ecosystem goods and services for each Refuge in the study, aggregate values across the selected ecosystem services for each refuge to obtain a total economic value for ecosystem services for each refuge. 2. Develop methods which can be used for possible future studies by USFWS. 3. Determine feasibility of scaling-up ecosystem service values estimated for refuges in the study to estimate regional and national estimates of refuge ecosystem values. The time frame for the study is 24 months (Phase I) with potential extension for an additional 12 months (Phase II). Thus, Phases I and II would total 36 months (3 years). The proposed time frame for Phase I is September 1, 2009 to August 31, 2011.As justification for Single Source Determination, in accordance with Department of the Interior guidance (505 DM 2.14) USFWS Division of Economics and Division of Refuges Region 9 provides notice of its intent to make a single-source award for Phase I in the amount of $110,000 via a cooperative agreement with University of Georgia /Piedmont South Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit. Additional awards and amendments are dependent on available funds.

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