1. Valuing Ecosystems:
How can you put a value on a
ecosystem?
Understanding the value and importance of ecosystems in terms
of biodiversity and ecological resources .
Examining the economic, cultural
and environmental value of ecosystems

2. The Value of Ecosystems

3. Ecosystem Value Card Sort
• Look at the cards you have and decide if they
fit in the ecological, economic or cultural /
aesthetic column.
• Then stick them down for you to keep.
• These highlight the value of any ecosystem.

6. Ecosystem Services
• Ecosystem Services are the benefits that
people get from ecosystems. They can be
classified into 4 groups.
• These 4 main services have a huge impact on
the well being of the people who live in these
areas

7. Relationship between ecosystem
services and wellbeing
• These 4 main services have a huge impact on the well being of the people
who live in these areas as your hand out shows;
1. Supporting Services
• Service that are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem
services. Their impacts on people are indirect, or occur over a very long
time. They include soil formation, photosynthesis, nutrient cycling etc.
2. Regulating Services
• These are the benefits obtained from the regulation of ecosystems
processes, e.g. air quality, climate, water etc.
3. Cultural services
• These are the non-material benefits that people obtain from ecosystems
e.g. knowledge, recreation, ecotourism, cultural heritage, spiritual and
religious values
4. Provisioning Services (goods)
• These are the products obtained from ecosystems, including things like
food, fuel, fresh water medicines etc.

9. Case study 1: Daintree Rainforest
(p109 Parrot)

10. The Daintree and Ecosystem Services
1/5 Carbon Sequestration
• Trees absorb carbon dioxide and give out oxygen, thus removing
greenhouse gases from the air. The carbon dioxide is stored as
biomass to help regulate the climate and reduce pollution

11. The Daintree and Ecosystem Services
2/5 Medicine
• 25% of drugs include
products that come from
rainforests. TRF have
provided chemicals used to
treat diabetes, malaria,
heart conditions,
rheumatism and arthritis. In
the Daintree plants have
been identified as having
anti-cancer properties

12. The Daintree and Ecosystem Services
3. Tourism
• The Daintree attracts nearly half a million visitors a year. Visitors
come for the scenery- coast, forest and mountains- the
biodiversity and to visit the Great Barrier Reef.
Daintree, Eco-Lodge
• The Skyrail takes tourists
from nearby Cairns into
the Daintree Rainforest

13. The Daintree and Ecosystem Services
4. People of the Rainforest
• Rainforest aboriginal people
are the original owners of Wet
Tropical rainforests. To them,
the rainforest is a series of
complex ‘living’ cultural
landscapes. This means that
the natural features of the
rainforest are interwoven with
people’s religion, spirituality,
economic use (food and tools)
and social and moral
organisation.

14. The Daintree and Ecosystem Services
5. Logging
• The commercial timber
industry began in the
Daintree in the 1930s.
During the 1980s, the
Daintree rainforest was at
the centre of arguments
between conservationists
and the timber industry.
The conservationists argued
the logging was
unsustainable.

15. Case Study 2: Coral Reefs
• Watch the videos here about coral reefs
• Read ‘The Value of Coral Reefs’ p.72-73 in the
text book and then make notes on its different
values.