1st Edition

Emerging Markets for Ecosystem Services A Case Study of the Panama Canal Watershed

    Practical ideas provided by a case study of the Panama Canal Watershed

    Exciting opportunities await the use of market mechanisms for protecting forest ecosystems. However, questions remain on how to best apply these mechanisms. Emerging Markets for Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of the Panama Canal Watershed provides an integrated, interdisciplinary methodological approach for evaluating market opportunities for watershed services, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity protection. Using the Panama Canal Watershed as a case study example, this probing resource addresses the main questions often asked about the various practical aspects of the emerging markets for ecosystem services, including quantifying value, payment structure, and equitable distribution of benefits.

    Environmental issues are often at odds with economic and business concerns. Emerging Markets for Ecosystem Services examines practical strategies to integrate diverse aspects into coherent strategies that benefit all. A scientific overview of the science and current knowledge provides a solid foundation to build policy and positive direction using the Panama Canal Watershed as an example. This unique resource sheds useful light on the challenges and provides insightful recommendations for areas struggling with ecosystem issues and the application of market mechanisms. This text is extensively referenced and includes several tables to clearly illustrate data.

    Topics in Emerging Markets for Ecosystem Services include:

    • an overview of carbon sequestration in natural forests, exotic plantations, native plantations, and agroforestry systems
    • policy tools to help reduce barriers to selling carbon credits
    • alternatives for increasing demand for land-use-based carbon sequestration
    • actions to encourage land managers to protect water quantity and quality
    • receiving full value of watershed protection
    • approaches to bioprospecti

    • Foreword (Mirei Herrera)
    • INTRODUCTION
    • Emerging Markets for Ecosystem Services: Setting the Context (Shimon Anisfeld)
    • SECTION 1: CARBON
    • CARBON SUPPLY
    • Carbon in Terrestrial Systems: A Review of the Science with Specific Reference to Central American Ecotypes and Locations (Jesse Muir Grossman)
    • Improving the Supply of Carbon Sequestration Services in Panama (Michael Lichtenfeld)
    • CARBON DEMAND
    • An Assessment of Existing Demand for Carbon Sequestration Services (Sandra Lauterbach)
    • Policy Alternatives to Increase the Demand for Forest-Based Carbon Sequestration (Alexander Hovani and Mike Fotos)
    • SECTION 2: WATER
    • WATER SUPPLY
    • Existing Supply of Watershed Services in the Panama Canal Watershed (Krista Anderson)
    • Policy Alternatives for Improving Markets for Water Quality and Quantity in the Panama Canal Watershed (Michelle Lichtenfels)
    • WATER DEMAND
    • Assessment of Existing Demand of Watershed Services in the Panama Canal Watershed (Mike Fotos, Fuphan Chou, and Quint Newcomer)
    • Policy Alternatives to Improve Demand for Water-Related Ecosystem Services in the Panama Canal Watershed (Mike Fotos, Quint Newcomer, and Radha Kuppalli)
    • SECTION 3: BIODIVERSITY
    • Can Bioprospecting Save Itself? At the Vanguard of Bioprospecting’s Second Wave (Patrick Burtis)
    • Sustainable Tourism: Sustaining Biodiversity? (Catherine Schloegel)
    • The Dynamics of Conservation Financing: A Window into the Panamanian Market for Biodiversity Existence Value (Steven Wallander)
    • Markets for Biodiversity: Certified Forest Products in Panama (Yuko Miyata)
    • SECTION 4: INTEGRATED ASSESSMENTS
    • Existing Markets for Ecosystem Services in the Panama Canal Watershed (Steven Wallander, Sandra Lauterbach, Krista Anderson, Fuphan Chou, Jesse Muir Grossman, and Catherine Schloegel)
    • Improving Markets for Ecosystem Services (Michelle Lichtenfels, Patrick Burtis, Alexander Hovani, Radha Kuppalli, Michael Lichtenfeld, and Yuko Miyata)
    • CONCLUSION
    • Emerging Markets for Ecosystem Services: What Did We Learn? (Bradford S. Gentry)
    • Index
    • Reference Notes Included

    Biography

    Gentry, Bradford S; Newcomer, Quint; Anisfeld, Shimon C; Fotos Iii, Michael A