Suchergebnisse

Over-allocation of fresh water resources to consumptive uses, coupled with recurring drought and the prospect of climate change, is compromising the stocks of natural capital in the world's basins and reducing their ability to provide water-dependent ecosystem services. To combat this, governments worldwide are making significant investment in efforts to improve the sharing of water between consumptive uses and the environment. Many investments are centred on the modernisation of inefficient irrigation delivery systems and the purchase of consumptive water for environmental flows. In this study, we applied spatial targeting within a cost-benefit framework to reconfigure agricultural land use in an irrigation district to achieve a 20% reduction in agricultural water use to increase environmental flows, and improve the provision of other ecosystem services. We demonstrate a targeted land use reconfiguration policy approach using spatial planning and optimisation models. Our model estimates a potential increase in the net present value of ecosystem services of up to $A 347 million. The increase in ecosystem services include recovering 62 GL of water for environmental flows, the sequestration of 10.6 million tonnes of CO2e/year, a 12 EC (μS/cm) reduction in river salinity, and an overall 9% increase in the value of agriculture. Without a spatially targeted approach to planning, a 20% reduction in water for irrigation could result in the loss of $A 68.7 million in economic returns to agriculture which may be only marginally offset by the increased value of ecosystem services resulting from the return of 62 GL of water to the environment. Crown

Over-allocation of fresh water resources to consumptive uses, coupled with recurring drought and the prospect of climate change, is compromising the stocks of natural capital in the world's basins and reducing their ability to provide water-dependent ecosystem services. To combat this, governments worldwide are making significant investment in efforts to improve the sharing of water between consumptive uses and the environment. Many investments are centred on the modernisation of inefficient irrigation delivery systems and the purchase of consumptive water for environmental flows. In this study, we applied spatial targeting within a cost-benefit framework to reconfigure agricultural land use in an irrigation district to achieve a 20% reduction in agricultural water use to increase environmental flows, and improve the provision of other ecosystem services. We demonstrate a targeted land use reconfiguration policy approach using spatial planning and optimisation models. Our model estimates a potential increase in the net present value of ecosystem services of up to $A 347 million. The increase in ecosystem services include recovering 62 GL of water for environmental flows, the sequestration of 10.6 million tonnes of CO2e/year, a 12 EC (μS/cm) reduction in river salinity, and an overall 9% increase in the value of agriculture. Without a spatially targeted approach to planning, a 20% reduction in water for irrigation could result in the loss of $A 68.7 million in economic returns to agriculture which may be only marginally offset by the increased value of ecosystem services resulting from the return of 62 GL of water to the environment. Crown

Most Australian capital cities require many 100,000s of additional dwellings to accommodate demographic change and population pressures in the next two or three decades. Urban growth will come in the form of infill, consolidation and urban expansion. Plans to redevelop environmental amenities such as parks and open green spaces are regularly being put forward to local councils and State governments. Maintaining parks and reserves represents one of the largest costs to local councils. To aid in the evaluation of some of the different propositions, we report the results of a spatial hedonic pricing model with fixed effects for Adelaide, South Australia. The results indicate that the private benefits of a close proximity to golf courses, green space sporting facilities, or the coast, are in the order $0.54, $1.58, and $4.99 per metre closer (when evaluated at the median respectively). The historic Adelaide Parklands add $1.55 to a property's value for each additional metre closer. We demonstrate how the estimated model could be used to calculate how local private benefits capitalized in property values change with changes in the configuration of a park.

Most Australian capital cities require many 100,000s of additional dwellings to accommodate demographic change and population pressures in the next two or three decades. Urban growth will come in the form of infill, consolidation and urban expansion. Plans to redevelop environmental amenities such as parks and open green spaces are regularly being put forward to local councils and State governments. Maintaining parks and reserves represents one of the largest costs to local councils. To aid in the evaluation of some of the different propositions, we report the results of a spatial hedonic pricing model with fixed effects for Adelaide, South Australia. The results indicate that the private benefits of a close proximity to golf courses, green space sporting facilities, or the coast, are in the order $0.54, $1.58, and $4.99 per metre closer (when evaluated at the median respectively). The historic Adelaide Parklands add $1.55 to a property's value for each additional metre closer. We demonstrate how the estimated model could be used to calculate how local private benefits capitalized in property values change with changes in the configuration of a park.

Study region: Water stress and over-allocation are at the forefront of water management and policy challenges in Australia, especially in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB). Because irrigated agriculture is a major social and economic component of the MDB, farmer decision-making plays a major role in water sustainability in the region. Study focus: This study used a fuzzy cognitive mapping methodology, 'mental modeling', to understand the perceived constraints of irrigator water-use decisions in the MDB, for two different types of irrigation: permanent and annual crops. The approach elicits and documents irrigator insights into the complex and networked nature of irrigation water use decisions in relation to farm-based dynamics. New hydrological insights for the region: Results suggest support for greater local and irrigator involvement in water management decisions. Many, if not most, of the irrigators understood the need for, or at least the inevitability of, governmental policies and regulations. However, a lack of accountability, predictability, and transparency has added to the uncertainty in farm-based water decision-making. Irrigators supported the concept of environmental sustainability, although they might not always agree with how the concept is implemented. The mental modelling approach facilitated knowledge sharing among stakeholders and can be used to identify common goals. Future research utilizing the mental modelling approach may encourage co-management and knowledge partnerships between irrigators, water managers and government officials. ; Ellen M. Douglas, Sarah Ann Wheeler, David J. Smith, Ian C. Overton, Steven A. Gray, Tanya M. Doody, Neville D. Crossman

Numerous studies have been published that consider the relationship between open spaces and property values. In this study, we examine the potential impact of water restrictions on the value of different types of green space. Restrictions on the use of water on outdoor areas are a popular means for governments or utilities to limit water use in urban areas. In this paper, a hedonic pricing model is used to analyse the effects that increasingly severe water restrictions might have on the perceived value of public and private green spaces in Adelaide, South Australia. A hedonic pricing model is estimated that contains housing characteristics, neighbourhood amenities, fixed effects to control for unobserved neighbourhood characteristics and temporal control variables for inflation. The findings suggest that water restrictions are not having a significant impact of the value of outdoor spaces on private properties. There are indications that substitutions may be occurring with the proximity to playgrounds, which are watered more regularly, becoming significant with increasing severity of water restrictions. However, close proximity to large public parks with trails for walking which remain in a natural state throughout the year (brown and dry in summer) is negatively correlated with the selling price regardless of water restrictions. This suggests that households in this market may be using some public green spaces for recreation in lieu of private areas but not all public open spaces are equal. This has implications for urban and landscape planners, especially given the likelihood of ongoing water restriction under climate change. Crown

Numerous studies have been published that consider the relationship between open spaces and property values. In this study, we examine the potential impact of water restrictions on the value of different types of green space. Restrictions on the use of water on outdoor areas are a popular means for governments or utilities to limit water use in urban areas. In this paper, a hedonic pricing model is used to analyse the effects that increasingly severe water restrictions might have on the perceived value of public and private green spaces in Adelaide, South Australia. A hedonic pricing model is estimated that contains housing characteristics, neighbourhood amenities, fixed effects to control for unobserved neighbourhood characteristics and temporal control variables for inflation. The findings suggest that water restrictions are not having a significant impact of the value of outdoor spaces on private properties. There are indications that substitutions may be occurring with the proximity to playgrounds, which are watered more regularly, becoming significant with increasing severity of water restrictions. However, close proximity to large public parks with trails for walking which remain in a natural state throughout the year (brown and dry in summer) is negatively correlated with the selling price regardless of water restrictions. This suggests that households in this market may be using some public green spaces for recreation in lieu of private areas but not all public open spaces are equal. This has implications for urban and landscape planners, especially given the likelihood of ongoing water restriction under climate change. Crown

The European Union (EU) Horizon 2020 Coordination and Support Action ESMERALDA aimed at developing guidance and a flexible methodology for Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) to support the EU member states in the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy's Target 2 Action 5. ESMERALDA's key tasks included network creation, stakeholder engagement, enhancing ecosystem services mapping and assessment methods across various spatial scales and value domains, work in case studies and support of EU member states in MAES implementation. Thus ESMERALDA aimed at integrating various project outcomes around four major strands: i) Networking, ii) Policy, iii) Research and iv) Application. The objective was to provide guidance for integrated ecosystem service mapping and assessment that can be used for sustainable decision-making in policy, business, society, practice and science at EU, national and regional levels. This article presents the overall ESMERALDA approach of integrating the above-mentioned project components and outcomes and provides an overview of how the enhanced methods were applied and how they can be used to support MAES implementation in the EU member states. Experiences with implementing such a large pan-European Coordination and Support Action in the context of EU policy are discussed and recommendations for future actions are given. This article is part of: Mapping and assessing ecosystems services. ESMERALDA special issue.