What is a Conservation Economist?

Question

What is a Conservation Economist?

Answer 1

Look at the link for some really good info.

Ecological economics is a multidisciplinary field of academic research that addresses the dynamic and spatial interdependence between human economies and natural ecosystems. Ecological economics brings together and connects different disciplines, within the natural and social sciences but especially between these broad areas. As the name suggests, the field is dominated by researchers with a background in economics and ecology (biology). An important motivation for the emergence of ecological economics has been criticism on the assumptions and approaches of traditional (mainstream) environmental and resource economics. Ecological economics presents a more pluralistic approach to the study of environmental problems and policy solutions, characterized by systems perspectives, adequate physical and biological contexts, and a focus on long term environmental sustainability. Ecological economics can be regarded as a version of environmental science with much emphasis on social, political, economic and behavioral issues. As its founding fathers can be regarded economists Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen, Kenneth Boulding and Herman Daly, ecologists C.S. Holling, H.T. Odum and Robert Costanza, and physicist R.U. Ayres. Daly and Costanza were critical in the institutional founding of the field - resulting in the journal 'Ecological Economics' and the International Society for Ecological Economics (ISEE).

Answer 2

Economics is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The word 'economics' is from the Greek for οἶκος (oikos: house) and νόμος (nomos: custom or law), hence "rules of the house(hold)."

Answer 3

A conservation economist is a person that investigates the value of conserving species and ecosystem function. This doesn't directly include intrinsic value however  (the value of something existing).

Ecosystem function can include ecosystem services such as a forest by a river maintaining ground stability, therefore preventing erosion, enhancing water clarity/quality etc. Other examples include soil microbes and other organisms cycling nutrients in the soil, herbivores keeping invasive plants at bay & the list goes on and on.....

These services can be valued by looking at how much it would cost to artificially do these things e.g. purifying water through a water filtration system. They can also be valued via aesthetic values by comparing the cost of house prices near a reserve before the reserve is restored and after. Another way is by sending out questionnaires to the community to ask them how much in rates would they be willing to pay for a reserve in their community per year & then the average could be calculated and multiplied by the population of the community. This average could then be compared to the average profit that could be received by some other venue (such as industry or dairy farming) on the same land to see which would be more valuable to the community.

A conservation economist can help organisations to value a particular project and help them to decide whether it would be worth while (however it doesn't always consider the fact that species are priceless and that all should be conserved - in my opinion). The economics spin on conservation can also help people who are not familiar with all benefits of conservation to quantify the benefits (as everyone understands the value of money! - however quality is not necessarily considered). The economics viewpoint can also be particularly useful in developing countries, as if a certain project is seen to be profitable (such as ecotourism) or if it restores natural capital (food, quality water and shelter) it can improve their quality of living.