The LIFE+BOSCOS Project focuses on forest ecosystem governance demonstration actions for proper adaptation to climate change. Nine actions were implemented with multifunctional objectives:
- Maintain the agroforestry mosaic (currently in the process of agricultural abandonment).
- Increase the specific and structural biodiversity of forest ecosystems.
- Increase the vigour of forest masses to cope with the climate change scenario.
- Preventing major forest fires.
- Reducing erosion
As part of the LIFE+ project, Vielca Medio Ambiente SL was contracted to:
- Carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the actions carried out. It includes both the cost of implementation and monetary benefits,
as well as a valuation in euros of non-monetary benefits
(flood mitigation, erosion control, aquifer water abstraction, etc.). - Conduct field interviews.
- Assessment of the economic potential of the island’s forestry sector,
based on existing local, regional and European financing instruments. - Economic quantification of the market goods produced by the forest throughout the island: wood, firewood,
mushrooms, honey, forest grass, aromatic plants, etc. - Economic quantification of marketable environmental services: equestrian tourism,
birdwatching tourism, recreational service in the natural environment. - Economic quantification of other forest environmental services at island level
(CO2 capture, water capture, flood mitigation, biodiversity, etc.). - Analysis of the impact of climate change under different scenarios (implementation or non-implementation of
adaptation measures).
The study estimated that forest ecosystems contribute around €23 million a year in products (wood, firewood, etc.) and environmental services (flood control, landscape, etc.).
Type of services provided
Drafting of Report:
- Application of microeconomics techniques for the elaboration of the analysis of the real cost of action and the expected benefits of a total of 9 forestry actions.
- Conducting field interviews with construction companies and forestry services on the island of Menorca on the real costs of the various forestry actions.
- Calculation of the environmental benefits in economic and social terms of ecosystem services associated with forests (regulation, supply and cultural), of the implementation of forest actions for adaptation to climate change.
- Assessment at island level of the economic potential of the forestry sector of Menorca taking into account the different
goods provided. - Assessment at island level of economic externalities generated by environmental services (flood control, water abstraction, landscape, etc.).
- Drafting of a report with the results of the evaluation.