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A selection of commonly encountered ES mapping bottlenecks that relate to seven themes: i) map-maker map-user interaction; ii) nomenclature and ontologies; iii) skills and background; iv) data and maps availability; v) methods-selection; vi) technical difficulties; and vii) over-simplification of mapping process/output. The authors synthesise the variety of solutions already applied by map-makers and map-users to mitigate or cope with these bottlenecks and discuss the emerging trade-offs amongst different solutions. Tackling the bottlenecks described here is a crucial first step towards more effective ES mapping, which can in turn ensure the adequate impact of ES mapping in decision-making.

Many studies have predicted, at a national scale, the economic viability of new forestry plantings to contribute to mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia's cleared agricultural lands. Such predictions are highly uncertain given: (i) differences in site quality, management regimes and planting geometries (belt versus block configurations) result in rates of sequestration that are highly variable at regional scales and (ii) uncertainties in carbon accounting methods in future carbon markets. Here we examined the economics of three case studies (two of farm forestry and one of biodiverse environmental plantings) to address these issues. There was significant variation in economic viability both between and within case studies (average coefficient of variation of 39%) as a result of differences in site quality, management regime and planting geometries. We conclude that if carbon offset investment targets marginal land (i.e. areas of farms of lowest productivity), carbon prices required for economic viability are <$18t CO 2-e, even at a relatively high discount rate of 8%. Although regional employment generated per hectare tends to be less than many existing agricultural enterprises, any jobs generated from use of this low productivity land for carbon forestry would be additional. Economic viability was generally greatest for 3-4 row belt farm forestry plantings because of increased growth, particularly in areas of relatively high rainfall. Supplementary payments may therefore be needed to make biodiverse environmental plantings competitive in areas of lower rainfall and thus less profitability.

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.

This paper gives an overview of the value of ecosystem services of 10 main biomes expressed in monetary units. In total, over 320 publications were screened covering over 300 case study locations. Approximately 1350 value estimates were coded and stored in a searchable Ecosystem Service Value Database (ESVD). A selection of 665 value estimates was used for the analysis. Acknowledging the uncertainties and contextual nature of any valuation, the analysis shows that the total value of ecosystem services is considerable and ranges between 490 int$/year for the total bundle of ecosystem services that can potentially be provided by an 'average' hectare of open oceans to almost 350,000 int$/year for the potential services of an 'average' hectare of coral reefs. More importantly, our results show that most of this value is outside the market and best considered as non-tradable public benefits. The continued over-exploitation of ecosystems thus comes at the expense of the livelihood of the poor and future generations. Given that many of the positive externalities of ecosystems are lost or strongly reduced after land use conversion better accounting for the public goods and services provided by ecosystems is crucial to improve decision making and institutions for biodiversity conservation and sustainable ecosystem management.

Climate change may shrink and/or shift plant species ranges thereby increasing their vulnerability and requiring targeted conservation to facilitate adaptation. We quantified the vulnerability to climate change of plant species based on exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity and assessed the effects of including these components in complementarity-based spatial conservation prioritisation. We modelled the vulnerability of 584 native plant species under three climate change scenarios in an 11.9 million hectare fragmented agricultural region in southern Australia. We represented exposure as species' geographical range under each climate change scenario as quantified using species distribution models. We calculated sensitivity as a function of the impact of climate change on species' geographical ranges. Using a dispersal kernel, we quantified adaptive capacity as species' ability to migrate to new geographical ranges under each climate change scenario. Using Zonation, we assessed the impact of individual components of vulnerability (exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity) on spatial conservation priorities and levels of species representation in priority areas under each climate change scenario. The full vulnerability framework proved an effective basis for identifying spatial conservation priorities under climate change. Including different dimensions of vulnerability had significant implications for spatial conservation priorities. Incorporating adaptive capacity increased the level of representation of most species. However, prioritising sensitive species reduced the representation of other species. We conclude that whilst taking an integrated approach to mitigating species vulnerability to climate change can ensure sensitive species are well-represented in a conservation network, this can come at the cost of reduced representation of other species. Conservation planning decisions aimed at reducing species vulnerability to climate change need to be made i

Aim The dimensions of species vulnerability to climate change are complex, and this impedes efforts to provide clear advice for conservation planning. In this study, we used a formal framework to assess species vulnerability to climate change quantifying

This paper gives an overview of the value of ecosystem services of 10 main biomes expressed in monetary units. In total, over 320 publications were screened covering over 300 case study locations. Approximately 1350 value estimates were coded and stored in a searchable Ecosystem Service Value Database (ESVD). A selection of 665 value estimates was used for the analysis. Acknowledging the uncertainties and contextual nature of any valuation, the analysis shows that the total value of ecosystem services is considerable and ranges between 490 int$/year for the total bundle of ecosystem services that can potentially be provided by an ‘average’ hectare of open oceans to almost 350,000 int$/year for the potential services of an ‘average’ hectare of coral reefs. More importantly, our results show that most of this value is outside the market and best considered as non-tradable public benefits. The continued over-exploitation of ecosystems thus comes at the expense of the livelihood of the poor and future generations. Given that many of the positive externalities of ecosystems are lost or strongly reduced after land use conversion better accounting for the public goods and services provided by ecosystems is crucial to improve decision making and institutions for biodiversity conservation and sustainable ecosystem management.

A price on carbon is expected to generate demand for carbon offset schemes. This demand could drive investment in tree-based monocultures that provide higher carbon yields than diverse plantings of native tree and shrub species, which sequester less carbon but provide greater variation in vegetation structure and composition. Economic instruments such as species conservation banking, the creation and trading of credits that represent biological-diversity values on private land, could close the financial gap between monocultures and more diverse plantings by providing payments to individuals who plant diverse species in locations that contribute to conservation and restoration goals. We studied a highly modified agricultural system in southern Australia that is typical of many temperate agriculture zones globally (i.e., has a high proportion of endangered species, high levels of habitat fragmentation, and presence of non-native species). We quantified the economic returns from agriculture and from carbon plantings (monoculture and mixed tree and shrubs) under six carbon-price scenarios. We also identified high-priority locations for restoration of cleared landscapes with mixed tree and shrub carbon plantings. Depending on the price of carbon, direct annual payments to landowners of AU$7/ha/year to $125/ha/year (US$6-120/ha/year) may be sufficient to augment economic returns from a carbon market and encourage tree plantings that contribute more to the restoration of natural systems and endangered species habitats than monocultures. Thus, areas of high priority for conservation and restoration may be restored relatively cheaply in the presence of a carbon market. Overall, however, less carbon is sequestered by mixed native tree and shrub plantings.

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 demand for carbon permits is expected to increase rapidly with the introduction in Australia of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) in 2010. The CPRS will cap the emission of greenhouse gasses and create a market for carbon trading. Some prediction of the behaviour and impacts of the emerging market will inform potential policy responses. Introduction of a carbon market could result in strong demand for widespread conversion of land in agricultural regions to tree-based production of carbon permits which may pose a number of threats and opportunities for Australia's biodiversity, water resources, and rural environments and communities. This study aimed to quantify the potential generation of carbon permits from reforestation following the CPRS, and the potential conflicts this may cause. Carbon price was considered the main driver of adoption and this study does not consider other factors that may influence adoption. Specific focus was on the Mediterranean-type agricultural landscapes in South Australia. The potential distribution of the supply carbon permits from reforestation in South Australia's agricultural regions was modelled within a Geographic Information System (GIS). Spatio-temporal and economic models of tree growth and productivity, and agricultural profitability were used to estimate the viability of reforestation for carbon permits under various carbon price scenarios. Low diversity monocultures and high diversity native species were considered. Biodiversity conservation values were modelled spatially using a series of landscape ecology metrics and conservation planning principles. Spatially explicit water resource management priorities were modelled based on soil landscape characteristics. The impact on water yields from carbon-driven reforestation was modelled using Zhang curves. The location of threats and opportunities associated with the production of carbon permits were identified and then coupled with economically viable areas for c

Integrated assessment models, decision support systems (DSS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are examples of a growing number of computer-based tools designed to provide decision and information support to people engaged in formulating and implementing environmental policy and management. It is recognised that environmental policy and management users are often not as receptive to using such tools as desired but that little research has been done to uncover and understand the reasons. There is a diverse range of environmental decision and information support tools (DISTs) with uses including organisational and participatory decision support, and scientific research. The different uses and users of DISTs each present particular needs and challenges to the tool developers. The lack of appreciation of the needs of end-users by developers has contributed to the lack of success of many DISTs. Therefore it is important to engage users and other stakeholders in the tool development process to help bridge the gap between design and use. Good practice recommendations for developers to involve users include being clear about the purpose of the tool, working collaboratively with other developers and stakeholders, and building social and scientific credibility.

As part of the Belmont Forum funded international DRIVER research project on linking indicators to impacts to improve drought monitoring and early warning systems (MEWs), a stakeholder workshop was held on 17th March 2015 in Wallingford, UK. The workshop was attended by representatives of various UK organisations with an interest in drought and MEWs and DRIVER researchers from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UK), Open University (UK), University of Freiburg (Germany), National Drought Mitigation Center (USA) and CSIRO (Australia). The aims of the workshop were to introduce participants to the DRIVER project and recent RCUK drought projects; engage with stakeholders’ experiences, understandings and needs in relation to droughts; and identify needs for future MEWs. The design of the workshop was based on a commitment to social learning. It comprised a mix of presentations and interactive sessions using innovative techniques to develop collective insights, enabling participants to learn from others and contribute their experiences and ideas and concerns in relation to drought and MEWs. Themes emerging findings from the workshop were wide-ranging, but point to a range of issues, concerns and suggestions for improving drought management and MEWs centred on: recognition of different types of drought; uncertainties and risks relating to indicators; forecasting; impacts; politics of drought; public communication; role of stakeholders; and resilience strategies. The workshop suggests different ways of thinking and acting are required about drought and MEWs in particular. The discussions and presentations also suggest the complexity of droughts requires a more systemic understanding of drought policy, processes and practices in order to determine the role of MEWs and how these can be improved by linking indicators to impacts. The output of the workshop constitute a key source for informing and shaping ongoing DRIVER research activities and other events convened by RCUK