Financing Watershed Conservation · Ecosystem Restoration Conference August 4, 2011. Help Me Impress Them! ... Impact of Forest Cover on Chemical Treatment Costs $0.00 $50.00 $100.00

Todd Gartner, M.F.

Senior Associate

Conservation Incentives and Markets

[email protected]

Financing Watershed Conservation:

Using Incentives to Connect Forests, Water & Communities

Ecosystem Restoration Conference

August 4, 2011

Help Me Impress Them!

World Resources Institute

The World Resources Institute has four programs


Future of US Forests Rests in the Hands

of Private Landowners

Source: American Forest Foundation


Remembering Aldo Leopold

“Conservation will ultimately boil down to rewarding the private landowner who conserves the public interest.”

“Emerging markets….will provide landowners with expanded economic incentive to maintain and restore our forests”

•Source: University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center •Source: United States Department of Agriculture


Payments for Nature’s Benefits…Arrangements for placing economic value on natural assets normally “outside the market”

Environmental services not properly valued systems become degraded

Forests becoming recognized as an asset (monetarily);

provide clean air, water, habitat

Financial systems that enable people who produce products and services to be compensated by those who benefit

•Source: University of Hawaii


Cost Share

Wetland restoration and

Water quality trading

Sustainable

forestry/agriculture

Imagine…

The portfolio approach to

forest management:

multiple income streams

Species recovery

•Source: Adapted from the Willamette Partnership

Conservation easement

Carbon sequestration

Recreation

leases


“The water we drink and utilize may be our

most important connection to the forest.”

Source: Trust for Public Lands


Vision of a Watershed

Services MarketplaceUsers

• Water District/Utility

• Rate Payers

• Industry

• Recreation

Government• EQIP

• Dedicated Pool

Land Use Planning

• Current Use Tax

• Zoning/TDR

• Easements

Philanthropy

• Program related investment

• Grants

• Revolving Loans

Sellers

Buyers/

$ Sources

•Restoration

•Improved Practices

•Preservation

Products


GIS Threat Assessment

Watershed Prioritization


Crooked River Watershed, Portland, ME

•THE WESTERN FOOTHILLS LAND TRUST


Impact of Forest Cover on Chemical Treatment

Costs

$0.00

$50.00

$100.00

$150.00

$200.00

$250.00

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percent Forest in Drainage Area

Ch

em

ica

l co

st/M

G

Less Forest Cover = Higher Treatment Costs


Beneficiaries

Making the Business Case

• Demand created by law/regulation

voluntary drivers (business case)

• ID Beneficiaries

Who uses the water

How they use it

How they benefit from “clean” water

Opportunities & Risks

• Green vs. Grey

Infrastructure Analysis

• Engage Beneficiaries


Where should we focus our $ and effort?

Conservation Priority

Index (CPI) -

Prioritization of parcels

Conducted By -

• Bill VanDoren, Craig

Nicolson, and Paul

Barten, Umass

• AMC

Landscape

characteristicWhy is it important?

3 2 1 0

Land useIn the northeast, forest provides the best

source water qualityForest/wetland — — All others

Distance to streams

(feet)Vegetated, and especially, forested

riparian buffers are a ―last chance‖ to

absorb nutrients and trap sediment;

forested riparian areas also provide key organic and structural inputs

0-100 100-200 200-300 > 300

Distance to

ponds/wetlands (feet)0-100 100-200 200-300 > 300

Soils

(1/2

wei

ght) Depth to water table

Removing forest cover can increase soil

water, increasing the likelihood of

overland flow.

shallow moderate deep —

Permeability

Soils through which water infiltrates

slowly readily exhibit overland flow, which

decreases water quality

poorly drained moderate well drained —

Slope

Steep slopes are more at risk for erosion

when deep-rooted trees that anchor soil

are removed

steep

(> 15%)

moderate

(5 – 15%)

gentle

(< 5%)—

Water – Forest –

Roads

Roads are a source of sediment, and a

forested buffer can mitigate sediment and

pollutants

yes no no no

Increasing

importance

Decreasing

importance

Landscape

characteristicWhy is it important?

3 2 1 0

Land useIn the northeast, forest provides the best

source water qualityForest/wetland — — All others

Distance to streams

(feet)Vegetated, and especially, forested

riparian buffers are a ―last chance‖ to

absorb nutrients and trap sediment;

forested riparian areas also provide key organic and structural inputs

0-100 100-200 200-300 > 300

Distance to

ponds/wetlands (feet)0-100 100-200 200-300 > 300

Soils

(1/2

wei

ght) Depth to water table

Removing forest cover can increase soil

water, increasing the likelihood of

overland flow.

shallow moderate deep —

Permeability

Soils through which water infiltrates

slowly readily exhibit overland flow, which

decreases water quality

poorly drained moderate well drained —

Slope

Steep slopes are more at risk for erosion

when deep-rooted trees that anchor soil

are removed

steep

(> 15%)

moderate

(5 – 15%)

gentle

(< 5%)—

Water – Forest –

Roads

Roads are a source of sediment, and a

forested buffer can mitigate sediment and

pollutants

yes no no no

Increasing

importance

Decreasing

importance

World Resources Institute•Manomet Natural Capital Initiative

What can we do on the ground?

Example Best Management PracticesRiparian Buffer

Culverts and Drainage Improvements

Vegetative Cover

Road Retirement

Silvicultural Practices

Road Network


Figure 1. Illustrative example of green vs. gray

$10 billion

$2 billion

New water filtration plant

Forest conservation

Filtering drinking water for city X

$8 billion

$1 billion

New sea wall

Mangrove restoration

Shoreline protection for city Y

$6 billion

$1.5 billion

New canals and dikes

Wetland restoration

Flood prevention for region Z



$1 for Tap Water?


Online Marketplace & Landscape Auction

Existing crowdfunding inspirations include IOBY.org and Kickstarter.com

Orange County

Headwaters


Yes



Thanks!


Questions and Discussion

Todd GartnerWorld Resources Institute

[email protected]

Source: Margaret Munford, American Forest Foundation

To contact me after my presentation,

text GON to INTRO (46876)

Documents

Financing Watershed Conservation · Ecosystem Restoration Conference August 4, 2011. Help Me Impress Them! ... Impact of Forest Cover on Chemical Treatment Costs $0.00 $50.00 $100.00