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Due to unfortunate internet spam, previous posts on this bulletin board can be viewed however the posting function has been temporarily removed.
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Posted by:
Richard MacEwen
on 1/7/02 Title:
Environmental Damage Assessment
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Postnum: 40 EntryID:480
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I am working on a project to improve the Environmental Damage Assessment (EDA) processes used by Environment Canada. The project is focusing on pollutant releases into freshwater streams. The goal of the project is to investigate ways to translate the water, sediment, macroinvertebrate and fish data collected into a monetary fine. Past EDAs for freshwater streams have focused on the fish killed and determined a value based on the cost to restock the stream, and the lost revenues due to the closed sport fishery. We would now like to develop a more holistic approach taking into account other lost services provided by the stream ecosystem. I’ve looked at the US approach to Natural Resource Damage Assessment. They use Habitat Equivalency Analysis (HEA), which attempts to quantify the extent of damage inflicted on an ecosystem and the resulting loss of services. The damage is usually measured in area and time units resulting in measures such as acre*years of lost habitat. After determining the loss of services or natural resources the goal is then to quantify a restoration project that would result in an equal gain in environmental services or natural resources. The damage claim is then the cost of implementing the restoration actions, plus the costs of any assessments and any cost associated with the cleanup of the initial damage. I am wondering who else is working on issues such as: - the services provided by freshwater ecosystems. - the valuation of freshwater ecosystems and their services. - environmental or natural resource damage assessment and valuation.
Please drop me a note at Richard_macewen@hotmail.com if you have ideas or suggestions.
Thank you for your interest.
Richard MacEwen
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Responses
Posted by:
Peter Broad
on 9/12/05 Title:
Re: Environmental Damage Assessment
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Postnum: 40 EntryID:1472
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Richard,
Not really sure why or how you can measure "damage" but easier to measure and cost restoration. I do something similar for mining clients so that they do NOT get fined, especially when designing artifricial wetlands to detoxify effluent.
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