A Spatial Valuation of the Natural and Semi-Natural Open Space Areas in eThekwini Municipality
Durban is located within a global biodiversity hotspot, and still contains a wealth of biodiversity. Some of this is protected in nature reserves, but much of it is in private hands or in communal lands on the city’s periphery. City managers are di...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2017
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/339351496060660305/Promoting-green-urban-development-in-Africa-enhancing-the-relationship-between-urbanization-environmental-assets-and-ecosystem-services http://hdl.handle.net/10986/26765 |
| Summary: | Durban is located within a global
biodiversity hotspot, and still contains a wealth of
biodiversity. Some of this is protected in nature reserves,
but much of it is in private hands or in communal lands on
the city’s periphery. City managers are divided over the
level of attention that should be given to preserving these
remaining natural areas. While it is argued that they make a
significant contribution to biodiversity conservation in the
province, provide valuable ecosystem services and will
contribute to the city’s resilience in the face of climate
change, the counter argument is that much of this area
should make way for development to alleviate the escalating
problem of unemployment. The study of ecosystem services and
their value to society has made significant advances since
an estimate was made of Durban’s ecosystem services in the
1990s using early values from the international literature.
The aim of this study was to provide estimates of the value
of ecosystem services provided by natural open space areas
within the eThekwini Municipal Area (EMA), and to map the
geographic variation in these values as far as possible so
as to be able to compare both areas and types of value,
using available and locally-relevant data. This study was
carried out as a desktop study based on available data.
Modelling assumptions were based on data from within the
study area, drawing on the regional, national or
international literature only where necessary. The study
focused on the direct values associated with the provision
of natural resources, indirect use values associated with
regulating services generated by ecosystem functioning, and
the amenity values generated by ecosystem attributes. |
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