The forest as a multi-talent: Valuing different ecosystem services

The German society expects forests to provide multiple ecosystem services. Currently, the main demands are for more nature conservation areas and high climate protection contributions, but other expectations must also be taken into account, for example new forms of recreation such as geocaching or mountain biking.

We are investigating expectations and conflict potentials with different methods. With the REWALE model, a model for environmental economic valuation, we can map the demand for the different services in their regional distribution and also show how a changed range of services would be valued in monetary terms.

Population surveys provide the input data for this model and for further scenario analyses, with which we also determine the demands on forests beyond the environmental-economic assessment. On this basis, we develop policy options that aim at the best possible compatibility of different expectations.

When the data of the 2022 National Forest Inventory are available, an update of the model is planned. A new survey on the recreation service is also planned then, as well as an update of the environmental valuation database. We want to expand the model itself to include other ecosystem services of the forest, for example modules on groundwater provision, hunting yields and recreational hunting.