A research project to understand the value

placed on ecosystems and their services by

different sectors and to identify ways to align
environmental protection with the priorities
and activities of other sectors

Sustainable Northern Ireland

April 2012

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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In December 2011, the Environment Minister announced

the availability of funding that had been saved through
resource and energy efficiencies within the Department.
This money was distributed to environmental NGOs to
carry out projects supporting NIEAs goals.
The NIEA Challenge Fund is a pilot programme for
eNGOs to demonstrate their ability to deliver important
environmental outcomes, excellent value for money and
the ability to work to a tight budget within a very short
timescale.

Valuing Ecosystems

In order to qualify for funding each project was assessed

against NIEAs goals:
1. The sustainable use and protection of our natural
resources
2. Improved conservation and management of our
natural heritage
3. Improved conservation and protection of our built
heritage
4. Better public awareness and understanding of the
environment

Sustainable Northern Ireland

Valuing Ecosystems

i. The aim of this report is to make recommendations on

how ecosystems and the services they provide can be
Project Background & Key Objectives
better communicated across sectors to encourage
organisations to consider the impact (positive and
The purpose of this research project is to increase
negative) their business operations have on the natural understanding of how different sectors (government,
environment.
community and business) value the environment and
recognise the importance of the services provided by
ii. The UK National Ecosystems Assessment (NEA) was
ecosystems to their organisations.
completed in 2011 and provides a comprehensive
overview of the state of the natural environment and
The Project has three key objectives:
highlights the range of services provided by it.
1. To understand what value stakeholders place on
iii. Ecosystem Services are defined as services provided
ecosystems and the services they provide;
by the natural environment that benefit people.
2. To understand different sectors priorities and what
Ecosystem services provide outputs or outcomes that
scope there is to align these with environmental policy;
directly or indirectly affect human well-being and that
and
contribute significantly to our ability to create wealth
3. To identify what support and resources are necessary
and prosperity.
to help sectors adopt an Ecosystems Approach to their
iv. Some of the services provided by ecosystems are
own decision making processes.
easily understood such as food, fibre and fuel
provision. Ecosystems are also important due to their
cultural significance and peoples appreciation of
nature increases through recreation. Services that are
Research Methodology
not as commonly recognised include regulation of the
climate, purification of air and water, flood prevention, Data were gathered using both quantitative and
soil formation and nutrient cycling.
qualitative methodologies. Quantitative data were
v. The Northern Ireland chapter of the UK NEA
demonstrated the relevance of ecosystems and showed
their importance to Northern Ireland's economy.
Ecosystem services contribute to economic prosperity
by enabling us to generate income. Ecosystem services
also help to prevent damage that can incur financial
expenditure e.g. flooding.
vi. This study into how different sectors perceive the
natural environment, and its relevance to them, shows
that while people are aware of the importance of
ecosystems there is a gap between their understanding
of the theory behind ecosystems and their ability to
develop their role in protecting, promoting and using
these services to their advantage.

Sustainable Northern Ireland

gathered using an online survey format with questions

geared towards understanding how ecosystem services
and environmental policy are aligned with organisational
priorities.
This was followed up qualitatively by conducting
interviews with key stakeholders from each sector. The
interviews were designed to gain further understanding of
the obstacles facing different sectors and identify solutions
that are forward thinking and innovative but that are also
both practical and realistic.

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Valuing Ecosystems

There are eight broad categories of ecosystems within the UK as a baseline for information for ecosystem services.

Mountains,
Moors and
Heaths

Woodlands

This is one of the most abundent habitats within Northern Ireland and includes
mountain ranges, for example the Mournes in Co. Down and Sperrins in Co. Tyrone.
Northern Ireland is rich in upland blanket bog, heath, fen and dense pockets of
bracken. Often this habitat is used for grazing of livestock and has high recreational
value.
Northern Irelands tree cover is predominately planted conifers with some
broadleaf and mixed woodlands containing scrub. Woodlands provide many
ecosystem services, namely raw products such as timber, supporting services such as
carbon sequestration and cultural services such as recreation and leisure activities.
Northern Ireland has the least amount of woodland cover in the EU.

SemiNatural
Grasslands

Areas of semi-natural grassland are largely neutral grasslands with pockets of rich
wet grassland, acidic hill grassland and wildflower meadows. Many sites have been
designated because of flora such a wood cranesbills which has NI, UK and EU
importance. Often sites have multiple designations. This area has an agricultural
value but has recently gone into decline.

Enclosed
Farmlands

Farmland is predominately for grass production in Northern Ireland, with some

areas for crop and arable production. There has been a change in agricultural
output with decreasing arable farming and more intensive livestock grazing
regimes. This has resulted in pollution of rivers and high greenhouse gas emissions.

Open
Waters and
Wetlands

Northern Ireland has two main water bodies, Lough Neagh and Lough Erne, plus
rivers and raised bogs. Water bodies such as these provide huge recreational
attraction and biodiversity benefits. Many of Northern Irelands wetlands have EU
and UK importance.

Urban

Northern Ireland has several cities, Belfast (the capital), Londonderry (City of
Culture 2013), Lisburn, Armagh and Newry. Urban areas provide a small amounts
of green space for recreation creating health and well-being benefits.

Coastal
Margins

Coastal margins include sea cliffs, beaches, lagoons and sand dunes which have
high biodiversity value within Northern Ireland. Coastal areas provide services such
as recreation and tourism.

Marine

Northern Ireland has a species-rich marine environment, with Strangford Lough and
Rathlin Island having the highest marine biodiversity value. There remains a fishing
industry but recent decline of fin fish stocks makes prawns the main catch. This
habitat is a great pull for cultural and tourism benefits to Northern Ireland economy.

Sustainable Northern Ireland

Valuing Ecosystems

The National Ecosystem Assessment Northern Ireland

(NEA NI) was part of a UK-wide, two year project that
assessed the state of our natural environment and its
ecosystems. Over 70 scientists from a wide range of
organisations contributed. The report, completed in
2011, provided a comprehensive overview of the state
of the natural environment and highlights the vast
range of services provided by it.
An ecosystem is an interdependent system of living
things (plants, micro-organisms and animals including
people) in their physical environment (NEA NI, p.5).
Therefore ecosystems are not individual systems but
interact and overlap. It is important for ecosystems to
become resilient to change as over the past 100-200
years human activity has been intensified by heavy
industry, agricultural activities and steered by economic
growth.
Sustainable Northern Irelands research project takes
on board the recommendations made by the NEA but
seeks to establish the level of understanding which
currently exists among organisations regarding
ecosystems services. If the recommendations within the
NEA are to progress then the knowledge and
acceptance of the services that ecosystems undertake
for us, and how these relate to various sectors, will
need to increase.

Clockwise from top left: Mountains, Moors & Heaths;

Enclosed Farmlands; Semi-natural Grasslands; Open Waters
and Wetlands; Marine; and Coastal Margins; Urban; and
Woodlands

Sustainable Northern Ireland

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The analysis of the data gathered shows that

environmental policy and legislation have an impact on
most organisations. However, each respondents
understanding of ecosystems varies considerably. There is
a gap between individuals knowing what ecosystems are
and being able to relate the services they provide back
to their own organisations. Some respondents are of the
opinion that the services provided by ecosystems are
unimportant and inconsequential to how their organisation
functions.
The recommendations identified during this research
project fall into three categories: improving knowledge,
helping to adopt an ecosystems approach and
identification of more targeted research.
The eight key recommendations are:
1. Increase awareness and knowledge
2. Develop sector specific messages and support packages
3. Link environmental messages to organisational priorities

Valuing Ecosystems

4. Develop consistent messages

5. Co-ordinate action across sectors and issues
6. Help organisations realise the significance of ecosystems in
creating wealth and employment
7. Integrate environmental impacts within wider decision
making frameworks
8. Research organisational priorities and links to
environmental services
The research suggests that better planning is needed to
communicate environmental messages and that, while
messages need to be consistent in what they are
conveying, they also need to be tailored to relate
specifically to each sector and type of organisation.
More work and understanding is needed to convey the
importance of ecosystems in creating wealth and the
impact organisations have on this, as well as how
interfering with natural cycles can lead to loss of wealth
through insurance claims and remediation costs.

Chart i: Key
requirements
needed to
increase
awareness and
integration of
Ecosystem
Services with
organisational
priorities

Sustainable Northern Ireland

Valuing Ecosystems

Figure i: Weighted ranking to assess respondents understanding of what services ecosystems provide for us

Many respondents are confident about their general

knowledge of ecosystems but this understanding is not
always supported when questioned in more detail.
Respondents understand the value of biodiversity and the
role that ecosystems have within this. They are less aware
of the importance of ecosystems in regulating our climate
or providing us with the ability to generate wealth. Some
of the monetary aspects of ecosystems are less well
accepted such as generating income via cultural heritage
or saving expenditure due to ecosystems roles in
alleviating flooding.
The consensus from respondents is that environmental
issues tend to be a role for one person within an
organisation and that this remit does not cross
organisational roles or responsibilities.

Sustainable Northern Ireland

Some respondents, in particular government, indicate that

their role is in protecting the environment and ecosystems
for their citizens but they do not go on to recognise the
services that ecosystems provide for their organisation.
While many respondents understand the value and
benefits provided by woodland ecosystems, they are less
aware of those provided by coastal margins and marine
environments. The research indicates that more needs to
be done to promote the value of all habitats and
ecosystems in terms of what they do for us, i.e. people,
communities and businesses.
The importance of the environment for health and wellbeing is recognised and this may be the hook needed to
promote further understanding.

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Valuing Ecosystems

Sustainable Northern Ireland

Valuing Ecosystems

Sectors need more specific

information and support to explain
exactly what services ecosystems
provide them. More information is
needed on both the direct and
indirect services and how the
actions of each sector impacts on
the ability of each ecosystem to
continue to provide services.

The Ecosystems Approach needs to

link with existing agendas, both
environmental and ones that are
priorities within organisations,
rather than as a new concept. If it
is promoted as a new issue
organisations will not understand
how it relates to other issues such
as climate change and biodiversity
loss and therefore will not
understand their role.

Chart ii: Examples of how sectors can

adopt an Ecosystems Approach

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Valuing Ecosystems

Improving Customer Service

Economic Sustainability
Corporate Responsibility
Increasing Profits
Maintaining Health and Safety Standards

Respondents do value the environment and recognise its significance.

Figure ii demonstrates that people place a high degree of
importance on environmental legislation. However, when this is
compared to the tends of organisational priorities (see chart iii)
environmental protection drops down the list of priorities. Figure iii
shows that when a weighted average is applied to the results that
respondents do not think that environmental legislation is as important
as other types of legislation such as health and safety regulations.

Meeting Targets
Being competitive
Environmental Protection
Technological Advancement
Staff Well Being

Least Important >>> Most Important

Trend of Organisational Priorities

Chart iii: Organisational Priorities

In order to increase the value placed on environmental legislation, in

policy as well as in practice, the benefits need to be linked with other
organisational priorities such as customer service, economic
sustainability and corporate responsibility that tended to trend higher
with respondents.
Resources, staff and knowledge are identified as reasons why
organisations do not have more regard for environmental legislation.
Demonstrating that the Ecosystems Approach is compatible with and
can overcome efficiency issues is an essential element of the way
forward. There are knowledge gaps and evidence suggests that
respondents and their organisations often only have the capacity to
address individual types of environmental issues, such as recycling
and energy efficiency, rather than looking at the bigger picture.

Figure ii: The percentage of respondents who

ranked each type of policy/ legislation as
most important

Ecosystem Services and the

Ecosystems Approach are relatively
new terminologies that many
respondents have only heard for
the first time as a result of
participating in this Project. Better
marketing of how environmental
issues connect to one and other,
and with other priorities such as the
economy, is needed.
1The

term #trending has increasingly

become popular due to social media
and is used to describe the issues that
many people are talking e.g What
issues several people raise as a
concern.

Figure iii: The weighted average rank applied to the importance of key pieces of
policy/ legislation (Lowest ranking = most important)

Sustainable Northern Ireland

Valuing Ecosystems

This project surveyed and interviewed key stakeholders to

gather information that can be used to tailor future
messages about the importance of the natural
environment and the services it provides. The project was
set up in order to identify the issues and obstacles which
are experienced by non environmental sectors in trying to
understand the relevance of environmental policy to their
own organisational priorities.
The following conclusions have been reached:

Sustainable Northern Ireland

This Project shows us that organisations do not understand

the impacts and specific benefits that ecosystems provide
them with. It is important to make it easy for organisations
to adopt an Ecosystems Approach and to communicate
with them the benefits and opportunities that may arise
from developing a better understanding of how natures
services directly impact on their organisations ability to
carry out its work. For example, better understanding is
needed of Ecosystems Services.

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Sustainable Northern Ireland works towards

an integrated and equal society based on the
principles of sustainable development. Our
work promotes the exchange of good
practice and provides practical assistance
to help organisations, such as district
councils, realise and understand the
importance of embedding sustainability
principles at the core of their business.
Sustainable development is an important
mechanism to improve how decisions are
made and to increase efficiency across
government, business and communities.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
April 2012