Seventeenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Identifying and understanding the benefits of services provided by local ecosystems can lead to cost-effective solutions to infrastructural and environmental problems while also creating enhanced biodiversity in urban/suburban areas. For the storm-prone Greater Houston region, the critical need to better connect the ecosystem services (ES) provided by the diverse assemblages of forests, prairies, wetlands, riparian waterways, and estuaries to long-term resilience and disaster protection is taking shape following four years of increased rain events, severe hurricane destruction and sea level rise. Adding to these challenges are the region’s unique, clay-rich soil composition, which greatly influence watershed infiltration and runoff. This Houston Wilderness’ Ecosystem Services Primer, 2nd Edition discusses ways for determining ecosystem services (ES) benefits and values using different established study/valuation methods depending on targeted infrastructure/project goals. In Six Steps designed to aid decision-makers in infrastructure options, this Primer follows a framework for comparison and valuation of the natural environment and how to improve ES and the critical benefits they provide. The Six Steps include: determining the nature-based infrastructure goals, understanding the role of various ES in decision making, establishing an ES baseline for the targeted area(s), evaluating benefit relevant indicators, considering regional/local challenges, and using optimal ES valuation methods. The HW ES Primer brings together land, water, air, soil, and biodiversity solutions to the climate change crisis affecting the Gulf-Houston Region. Local and regional nature-based infrastructure and riparian-based case examples are considered, where science-based ES benefits and valuation options are analyzed and practical nature-based solutions were implemented.