The value of water produced by forests and coffee plantations in the sub-basin of the Acelhuate River

Abstract

The value of the water produced by the forest ecosystems can be estimated from an economic and ecological valuation, with the understanding that the water resource is a production input for the different economic sectors in a given territory. An assessment of this kind should also lead to recognizing the opportunity costs incurred by landowners where these ecosystems are housed, plus the estimated costs for the restoration of water recharge areas to enable a continuous water service of quality. This paper presents a methodology that uses these considerations to calculate the value of the water provided by forest ecosystems and coffee plantations in the Acelhuate River watershed, which should result in reference prices payable for different users, in recognition of the water environmental service provided by these ecosystems.

Entorno, august 2014, issue 56: 58-68