Economic Value of Forest Ecosystem Services: A Review

March 15, 2001

The importance of natural forest ecosystems to human well-being cannot be overstated. Forests provide raw materials for food, fuel and shelter. In forests, ecosytem components such as micro-organisms, soils and vegetative cover interact to purify air and water, regulate the climate and recycle nutrients and wastes. Without these and many other ecosystem good and services, life as we know it would not be possible.

When we make decisions to alter natural forest ecoystems, we often give little thought to the consequences that change may have on forest ecoystem services to the ulitmate cost of losing those services. This report examines these complex relationships.