Mitigation of Impacts to Fish and Wildlife Habitat: Estimating Costs and Identifying Opportunities
Every year, human activities cause significant harm to fish and wildlife habitat and the environment. Many of the impacts to these natural resources are never addressed. In certain cases, however, federal, state, and local laws and programs can require monetary or in-kind compensation for these impacts. A new ELI report, "Mitigation of Impacts to Fish and Wildlife Habitat: Estimating Costs and Identifying Opportunities," estimates that private and public expenditures for such compensation under key federal programs total up to $3.8 billion annually.

Hidden wealth revealed in Ontario's Greenbelt: The Lake Simcoe Watershed
The ecological benefits provided by the Lake Simcoe ecosystem, a vital part of the world's largest and most diverse Greenbelt, are estimated at close to $1 billion a year, according to a study released today. Lake Simcoe Basin's Natural Capital: The Value of the Watershed's Ecosystem Services, examines the goods and services provided by the watershed's ecosystem. These include carbon storage, water quality, supply and filtration, flood control, waste treatment and clean air—all of which are top-of-mind concerns for Ontarians.

Conservation Cowboys
Chris Burrous meets traditional cattle rancher turned conservationist, Marden Wilber. Marden discovered conservation banking when a chunk of his grazing operation wasn't suitable for conversion to vineyards. Marden hoped the vineyards would produce a badly needed additional revenue stream from the sale of grapes. When that plan didn't work, a colleague suggested converting that chunk of land instead to a conservation bank as means of not only producing additional income, but at the same time allowing Marden's land to remain just as it was.

An Appraisal of the NSW Biobanking Scheme to Promote the Goal of Sustainable Development in NSW
This article puts forth an appraisal of the currently proposed NSW biodiversity banking scheme in light of international sustainable development policy.

The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity
The TEEB interim report shows that if we do not adopt the right policies, the current decline in biodiversity and the related loss of ecosystem services will continue and in some cases even accelerate. Some ecosystems are likely to be damaged beyond repair. Current trends in the loss of ecosystem services on land and in the oceans demonstrate the severe dangers that biodiversity loss poses to human health and welfare. The interim report proposes a general framework for evaluating the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services that acknowledges that not all values of biodiversity can be measured in economic terms.

Forests: Taking Root in the Voluntary Carbon Markets
Over the past year, the term 'REDD' (reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation) has risen from obscure acronym to hot-button issue for policymakers, conservation groups, investors and academics across the globe, with good reason: deforestation accounts for roughly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions—more emissions than the transportation sector world-wide.

Guidance for the Establishment, Use, and Operation of Conservation Banks
The Final Guidance for the Establishment, Use and Operation of Habitat Conservation Banks provides guidance to assist US Fish and Wildlife Service personnel in evaluating proposals to establish Conservation Banks.