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Buying and Selling Ecological Services: A Proposal for the
Texas Gulf Coast
Jim BlackburnSSPEED CenterRice University
Work Supported by Grants From Houston Endowment and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
2Hurricane Ike
Chinese FY1-D MVISRSeptember 12, 2008 at 6:18 PM CDT
Category 2$24 billion in damages4th costliest in U.S. History112 deaths2.6 million lost power
Hurricane Ike
3
CEQ’s Proposed National Objectives, Principles, and
Standards for Water and Related Resources Implementation
Studies
• Protect and restore natural ecosystems and the environment while encouraging sustainable economic development.
• Avoid unwise use of floodplains, flood-prone areas and other ecologically valuable areas.
• Give “full and equal treatment to nonstructural approaches.”
MS ALLA
Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program After Katrina
Dr. Susan Rees, Mobile District: “Unlikely to See a Totally Structural Hurricane Abatement Implemented in Today’s Funding and Evaluation Climate”
The Federal Debt Reaches Historical High
CBO forecast - end of 2010, federal debt will be 62% of GDP.
Original Landfall
GIS UT Dr. Clint Dawson
8
Ike Surge Flowing Back Into Gulf 4 Days After Landfall –
Excellent Flood Storage
Photo: Bryan Carlile
Galveston Bay Coastal Protection System
Possible Economic Concepts For Non-structural Mitigation
1. Recreation/Eco-Tourism
2. Natural Resource Value Trading Concept
11
Day Recreation Usage
Development of “Backside” of Peninsula
Proposed Lone Star Coastal National Recreation Area
Possible Economic Concepts For Non-structural Mitigation
1. Recreation/Eco-Tourism
2. Natural Resource Value Trading Concept
100-Year Storm Surge Levels
Slide Courtesy Hal Needham, Louisiana State University
Spartina Alterniflora and Other Coastal Wetland
Plants Define Resiliency –
Learn From ItEmbrace It Emulate It
Develop Resilient Economy
Natural Resource Value Trading System
• Based on Experience in Regulatory-Based Systems
• Corps of Engineers Wetland Mitigation Banks
• U.S.F.W.S. Endangered Species Offset Concepts
• 303(d) Water Quality Programs for Nutrients and Temperature in Chesapeake Bay and Willamette Valley
• Emerging Carbon Markets
Trading Platform Sellers Buyers
Conceptual Natural Resource Value Trading System
Flood StorageConservation of Existing Habitat
Neo-tropical Migrant Habitat CreationCoastal Wetland Creation/Migration
Migratory Waterfowl Habitat CreationPrairie Habitat Creation
Forest Lands Habitat CreationCarbon Sequestration
Endangered Species Habitat
$
Potential Buyers• Flood Control
– U.S. Army Corps Non Structural – FEMA “Value Proposition”
• Philanthropic – USFWF (BP $) – Private Foundations
• Corporate – Zero Footprint Initiatives – Carbon Offsets – Other Mitigation
• Ecological Gift Market
Potential Sellers• Private Landowner – Flood Storage At Key Elevations• Private Landowner – Carbon Farmer• Private Landowner – Wetland Habitat Owner and/or
Creator• Private Landowner – Prairie Habitat Owner and/or
Creator• Private Landowner – Neotropical Habitat Owner
and/or Creator• Private Landowner - Forest Habitat Owner and/or
Creator
