Modern Wild Faunal Resource System Management
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In the late 1900's many ecologists were studying and expressing "ecological services." Economists talk of benefits and "goods and services." There are system processes which produce benefits. Perhaps these processes are just a fundamental way to describe, classify, and discuss "services."
See the resource concept and benefits.
I have discussed ecological services.
A way to give an example of the value of biodiversity and its benefits and services, real and potential is to think about flight. Would Leonardo have wondered if we could fly without having seen birds, bats, and insects? Nature is a vast pool of inspiration, esthetically and practically. Whether it is the only source of such questions seem unlikely so making excessive claims is unwarrented. Timing of the "right" question may be important. Bats, snakes, etc. are all part of that inspirational pool. I like these animals and am biased in thinking that we should have them around, but beyond the esthetic and emotional inspiration, there are all these possibilities for problem solving. Radar is said to have been discovered from the way bats catch flying insects. Discoveries have emerged: Snake venom contains an anticoagulant, frog skin has morphine mimics, etc.
Having wildlife (and keeping what we have and using it well) give people options. They may provide answers, examples, services to people. We need them for the options they provide. Economists call the service option demand.
Consider services and processes.
Services need to be expanded to opportunities, at least to include opportunities within services. I think the word has connotations as well as classical denotations suggesting a real difference.
Managers can provide (or restrict) opportunities to experience a resource. They can influence opportunity to possess an entity or a resource or its part. Managerial action can influence opportunity and perhaps that is the topic for sale or is the term for economic analysis. There are changed opportunities (perhaps options that can be bought and sold and preserved for the future) to
Where does "cause a significant increase in real estate value" become meaningful as a good, a service, or an opportunity? Perhaps opportunity to observe and learn from conditions where there is significant faunal diversity may equate to enhanced real estate value some day in some places.
"Services" may be an improper analytical category. Services are probably like animals breathing. Without it there is nothing, no life. Not the action, but the final structure or function is the measure, work, life, the animal itself. Services of ecosystems are similar. There are many descriptive verb forms that can be used to describe parts of ecosystems, but the valuation must be of the entire thing...not services within ecosystems but the work and function of the entire thing.
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Last revision January 18, 2004.