Floodplain Ecosystem Services and Valuation
As precipitation rates and storms increase due to climate change, communities in floodplains are experiencing more frequent and severe of flood damage. Integrated Floodplain Management (IFM) is an approach among stakeholders in a floodplain that seeks common agreement on visions, strategies, and actions, building consensus to maximize the benefits that floodplains provide and reduce risks.
Strategies for IFM include restoration of wetlands across a floodplain, localized green stormwater infrastructure in urban areas, and adopting policies & ordinances that create riparian buffers. These Nature-based Solutions create ecosystem services, the non-market benefits that nature provides to people, free of charge. Substantiative research has shown that functional floodplains are among the most valuable ecosystems because they provide a range of critical ecosystem services in addition to flood regulation, like habitat and water capture and quality benefits.
This November 5th from 3:00-4:00 pm ET, Earth Economics will present an in-depth discussion on Floodplain Ecosystem Services and Valuation as part of the Natural Floodplain Functions Alliance webinar series. Glen Delaney and Erin Mackey will focus on the essential benefits nature provides, such as clean water, flood protection, and recreation, explain Earth Economics’ methodology for valuing these services, and discuss several case studies where they have valued projects linked to floodplain restoration.
