Sound Investment MEASURING THE RETURN ON HOWE SOUND’S ECOSYSTEM ASSETS FEBRUARY 2015 SOUND INVESTMENT: MEASURING THE RETURN ON HOWE SOUND’S ECOSYSTEM ASSETS February 2015 by Michelle Molnar Prepared with the support of the Sitka Foundation Graphic design by Nadene Rehnby and Pete Tuepah handsonpublications.com Cover photos: Top by Kris Krüg, centre by Tom Holbrook, and bottom Doug Morris, courtesy Flickr/Creative Commons. ISBN digital: 978-1-897375-82-2 print: 978-1-897375-85-3 Download this free report at davidsuzuki.org Suite 219, 2211 West 4th Avenue Vancouver, B.C. V6K 4S2 T: 604.732.4228 E: [email protected] www.davidsuzuki.org Contents PHOTO: KRIS KRÜG EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................6 PART 1 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................9 Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital Explained .....................................................9 Why is it important to measure natural capital? ..........................................................9 Study Area Rationale ......................................................................................................10 A Living Document .........................................................................................................11 PART 2 OVERVIEW OF STUDY AREA ........................................................................................12 Geography .......................................................................................................................12 Population and Economy ...............................................................................................14 Regional Biodiversity ..................................................................................................... 17 Threats to Regional Biodiversity ...................................................................................22 PART 3 METHODOLOGY ...........................................................................................................24 Natural Capital Valuation Framework ...........................................................................24 Study Limitations ...........................................................................................................28 PART 4 ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OF HOWE SOUND ..................................................................29 Food Provisioning ...........................................................................................................29 Clean Water ......................................................................................................................30 Disturbance Regulation .................................................................................................32 Nutrient Cycling ..............................................................................................................33 Gas and Climate Regulation ..........................................................................................34 Air Purification .................................................................................................................36 Waste Treatment .............................................................................................................38 Habitat..............................................................................................................................39 Recreation and Tourism .................................................................................................42 Education .........................................................................................................................46 PART 5 VALUATION OF HOWE SOUND .....................................................................................47 Quantification of Terrestrial and Aquatic Cover Classes .............................................48 Land Cover Class Values ................................................................................................50 Summary of Values ........................................................................................................52 PART 6 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................ 56 APPENDIX A: Land/Water Cover Sources ..................................................................................... 58 APPENDIX B: Primary Studies ........................................................................................................61 APPENDIX C: Detailed Ecosystem Service Tables ....................................................................... 70 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..........................................................................................................................74 FIGURES Figure 1: Howe Sound Study Area ................................................................................................13 Figure 2: Communities of the Howe Sound Study Area .............................................................14 Figure 3: Projected Growth Rates, 2011 – 2036 .........................................................................15 Figure 4: Terrestrial Resources of Howe Sound ..........................................................................19 Figure 5: Marine Resources in Howe Sound ............................................................................... 21 Figure 6: Proposed Industrial Activities in the Study Area ........................................................23 Figure 7: Age of Trees in Study Area .............................................................................................37 Figure 8: Wildlife Resources .........................................................................................................40 Figure 9: Tourism Activities Within Howe Sound ........................................................................43 TABLES Table 1: Experienced Labour Force by Occupation, 2006 .........................................................16 Table 2: Status of Biogeoclimatic Zones Within the Study Area ................................................18 Table 3: TEEB Typology for Ecosystem Services ........................................................................25 Table 4: Valuation Methods Used to Value Ecosystem Services in Primary Studies ..............26 Table 5: Valuation Method Used by Benefit Type ........................................................................27 Table 6: Studies Used to Value Food Provisioning ......................................................................30 Table 7: Studies Used to Value Clean Water Provisioning ...........................................................31 Table 8: Studies Used to Value Disturbance Regulation.............................................................33 Table 9: Studies Used to Value Nutrient Cycling..........................................................................34 Table 10: Studies Used to Value Carbon Sequestration ..............................................................35 Table 11: Studies Used to Value Carbon Storage .........................................................................35 Table 12: Studies Used to Value Air Purification ..........................................................................36 Table 13: Studies Used to Value Waste Treatment ......................................................................38 Table 14: Studies Used to Value Habitat .......................................................................................41 Table 15: Studies Used to Value Recreation and Tourism ..........................................................44 Table 16: Studies Used to Value Education ..................................................................................46 Table 17: Total Hectares by Land/Water Cover Class in the Study Area ....................................49 Table 18: Ecosystem Services Valued and/or Identified in Howe Sound .................................51 Table 19: Summary of Values of Ecosystem Benefits by Land/Water Cover (2014 C$) ........52 Table 20: High and Low $/Hectare Estimates for Wetland and Beach (2014 C$) ..................53 Table 21: Summary of Values of Ecosystem Services by Benefit (2014 C$) ..........................54 Table 22: Net Present Values for Ecosystem Benefits (2014 C$) ............................................55 Table 23: Summary of Values of Ecosystem Services by Benefit (2014 C$) ..........................70 Table 24: Land Cover Values for Howe Sound Ecosystems .......................................................72 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author would like to thank the contributions of numerous individuals for their assistance in creating this report. First and foremost, I wish to acknowledge the Sitka Foundation, who made this report possible. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Bob Plummer (Smart Map Services) for creating the maps contained in this report; Donna Gibbs, Jeff Marliave, and Jes- sica Schultz (Vancouver Aquarium) for providing data observations and reviewing information on marine resources in the study region; Jan Hagedorn and Kate Emmings Th e Peace D ASSESSING THE EC ivi ONOM de IC VALUE nd OF ECOSYSTEM S IN B.C.’s PEACE R (Islands Trust) for providing mapping data on nature reserves and eelgrass beds; IVER WATERSHED Geoff Senichenko (Wilderness Committee) for sharing mapping data on the study area;