摘要(英) |
Forest ecosystems are vital to the economies and livelihoods of many people around the world. The sustainable service functionalities of forests, however, are greatly threatened by human-related land-use impacts. It is, therefore, very important to properly manage, conserve, protect, and restore these ecosystems to achieve the maximum benefits from the environmental goods and services (EGS) they provide. This research focused on a Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) assessing and estimating the benefits and costs of a forest restoration project in the Middle Reaches’ of the Belize River Watershed (BRW), a watershed that supports close to 50% of Belize’s population. The CBA was used as the decision-making tool to determine the feasibility for the implementation of the 10-year (2019-2028) forest restoration project in the study area. The area under study was selected because it is the most negatively impacted region in the watershed, as a result of impacts from unsustainable agricultural and urban development, and thus is in urgent need of protection and restoration. Natural Resource Valuation (NRV) methods were utilized as input data in the CBA conducted, in estimating benefits through the services provided by restoring forests in the study area. Market priced market valuation and Benefit Transfer methods, specifically, were used in the evaluation of costs and benefits in a ‘Status-Quo/ Business as Usual (BAU)’ scenario against a 25% and a 40% restoration scenario. The Net Present Value (NPV) and the Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR), (output values of CBA) of each scenario were estimated, compared, and used as decision-making criteria to determine the project’s feasibility, and selection of the most appropriate option for implementation.
The findings of the research gathered that there are no benefits if there is no intervention done or project implemented in the study area, as presented in a Status Quo/BAU scenario, however, there is an environmental and social cost to society. Cost assessments with the implementation of restoration project showed that NPV were estimated to range from $2,008,206 - $3,013,346 US in 25% restoration scenario; and from $2,916,512 - $4,169,017 US in 40% restoration scenario over 10-year time horizon. The NPV benefits estimated from the implementation of projects were estimated to range from $16,188,538 US - $24,556,845 US in 25% restoration scenario; and from $24,338,955 US - $38,759,050 US in 40% restoration scenario over same 10-year time horizon. The results gathered from the NPV of CBA conducted at a 7% discount rate showed that the benefits/economic value gained from the implementation of forest restoration projects greatly outweigh that without the project’s implementation in a Status-Quo/BAU scenario. BCR was estimated to be 8.96 in a 25% restoration scenario and 9.52 in a 40% restoration scenario. It is concluded that the CBA conducted provided an integrated approach of assessing costs and benefits in bringing awareness to the current status of forests in the study area, and assisting in decision making in Belize in protecting and restoring this threatened ecosystem, and services provided. The results of the analysis also provided insight into the economic contribution of forests, and their importance in the sustainable development of Belize. A forest restoration program in the Middle Reaches of the Belize River watershed should be implemented because the benefits outweigh the costs in the CBA conducted. |
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