Landscape indicators of ecosystem service benefits

This study proposes a middle ground between no analysis of services and econometric analysis, which is not realistic for small-scale permitting applications due to its cost and reliance on specialized expertise. The goal is an evaluation method, applicable by noneconomists using existing data sources, that can identify likely differences in the social benefits generated by ecosystems. The method involves simple GIS-based indicators of ecosystem service benefits to improve regulatory site evaluation. The ability to monetize benefits-and thus compare sites and services directly using a common metric-is sacrificed by a system of simple indicators, but so too is the cost and complexity of econometric valuation methods.