Quantifying and qualifying ecosystem services to enhance Natural Heritage System Planning: A case study in Halton, Ontario Canada
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Authors
DeLoyde, Carolyn
Date
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Natural Heritage System Planning , ecosystem services , Halton Region, Ontario, Canada
Alternative Title
Abstract
This dissertation explores a means of enhancing current approaches to Natural Heritage System
planning through the explicit recognition of the value of natural areas on the landscape. The
identification of various landcover types captured within a Natural Heritage System and the
ascription of cumulative ecosystem service values by landcover type is posited as a means to
enhance Natural Heritage System Planning. The integration of ecosystem services into the
Natural Heritage System planning process as a means of increasing social license for NHS
planning is explored. Using Ontario’s Halton Region as a case study, the effectiveness of NHS
planning in capturing and maintaining different landcover types is assessed. Landcover
classifications are used as the basis to determine ecosystem service values. A series of surveys,
interviews, and workshops are used to evaluate stakeholder perspectives on both NHS and
ecosystem services, and explores the potential of integrating the two. NHS is an effective
means of capturing important ecological landcover types; more than 90% of forests and
wetlands areas are captured in Halton’s NHS, comprising 22,800 ha out of the total 49,990 ha
designated within the system. Halton’s NHS captures an estimated $645 million per year in
ecosystem value, which is 85% of the Region’s total estimated value; regulating services are
declining, while cultural services are increasing. While stakeholders across the Region are
aware of the need for NHS, strong negative perceptions of the process from industrial
stakeholders suggest that the process has not yet achieved the threshold for social license. The
study concludes that integration of ecosystem services into NHS planning could improve
transparency and communication around the process, but that stakeholders would be more
likely to accept this integration if the process was framed as a response to a common goal, such
as managing impacts of climate change. The research suggests that quantifying ecosystem
service levels rather than valorizing these services might be preferable. Updates to Ontario’s
Ecological Land Classification systems might help to improve assessment of ecosystem services
in the future; NHS planning should also be updated to provide a more transparent mechanism
of communicating what landcover types are delineated and protected through these systems,
to aid in landscape-level planning. Sharing information widely before discussing policy options
is essential to increasing transparency, building community consensus, and achieving lasting
social license for long-term NHS protection.
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Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
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Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States