Environmental values and their relationship to ecological services

Abstract

Natural environments give rise to value in diverse ways for different people and groups. In this paper, I present a conceptual scheme for how different kinds of value may arise from a natural environment. I use this scheme to illustrate the different ways in which people value natural environments and to clarify the relationship between environmental values and ecological services. The concept of ecological services calls attention to beneficial ecological functions of natural environments that have historically been neglected because they are not priced or traded in markets. When first introduced, the idea of ecological services focused on certain biological and physical services that are important for human well-being, but that often go unrecognized in environmental design and management. As the concept has gained in popularity, however, there has been a tendency to broaden its definition, so that the definition of ecological services now commonly includes all forms of environmental values, from tangible products to cultural, aesthetic, and even spiritual values.

Citation

Schroeder, Herbert W. 2011. Environmental values and their relationship to ecological services. In: Mittleman, D.; Middleton, D.A., eds. Make no little plans. Proceedings of the 42nd annual conference of Environmental Design Research Association. Chicago, IL. McLean, VA: The Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA): 212-217.