Introduction
This calculator provides a simple way to estimate the annual value of the ecosystem services provided by a piece of land. It uses average dollar-per-hectare values for different natural landcover types (such as wetlands, forests, grasslands, and riparian areas) and for the ecosystem services they support (such as carbon storage, water flow regulation, or habitat). These dollar values come from 421 valuation estimates drawn primarily from Canadian research, with some U.S. studies included to fill data gaps. Note that the calculator estimates the value of services provided by natural areas. It does not assess the intrinsic value of nature, which is arguably priceless.
Ecosystem services in the calculator are categorized according to the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting – Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA) classification framework.
More Information About the SEEA-EA FrameworkTo use the calculator, select the landcover types and the ecosystem services relevant to your project. The tool will automatically calculate the estimated annual value of those services, based on the average values in the dataset. This allows nonprofit conservation organizations, governments, land managers, and stewards to quickly see how nature contributes economic value through the benefits it provides to people.
The calculator provides a screening-level estimate to support planning, communication, grant applications, and high-level project comparisons. It is not intended to replace detailed site-specific assessments.
Thank you to the Government of Alberta for their generous support of this project
The calculator is designed for nonprofit conservation organizations, governments, land managers, and stewards who want to understand the human benefits and economic value generated by the ecosystem services on their land. The results can support conservation efforts by educating the public and decision-makers on the importance of nature to human well-being.
For example, a nonprofit conservation might be applying for funding to undertake a riparian restoration project. They can use the calculator to demonstrate the value of some of the services that will be realized through the project. Alternatively, a land stewardship group might be seeking public support for a potential conservation project. The group could use the calculator to demonstrate to the public the importance of the services the land provides to humans.
Users of the calculator will need to know a bit about the project they want to value. First, users will need to know the landcover types (forest, wetland, shrubland, grassland, open water, riparian, shrubland) and their associated areas for their project. For example, a project might entail the conservation of 30 hectares of grassland and 20 hectares of forest: these inputs are critical to the ESVC.
Second, users will need to identify the ecosystem services that are relevant to the project under consideration. A range of regulating, cultural and provisioning services can be selected. Users should only select those that are applicable to the particular project under consideration. For example, if the project will not result in recreational opportunities, then recreation should not be selected as an applicable service.
Third, users have the option of entering project-specific data related to volunteerism, education benefits and project costs.
- If the project includes volunteer hours, the number of hours can be entered into the calculator to calculate the value of the volunteer contribution.
- If the project includes an education program, the number of hours can be entered into the calculator to calculate the value of the education benefits.
- If users know the total cost of the project, including costs for equipment, materials, feasibility and planning studies, and contractors, the total investment in the project can be entered into the calculator to calculate the cost of the project in relation to the ecosystem service benefits derived from it. Costs should reflect any one time establishment costs, and also ongoing maintenance costs. Maintenance costs can be estimated by taking the average annual maintenance cost and multiplying it by the number of years that maintenance is expected to be required. This can then be added to the initial investment cost to get a total cost estimate.
The tool relies of the SEEA-EA definitions and classification framework. The specific services included in the calculator are described below.
More Information About SEEA-EA FrameworkRegulating and maintenance services are the benefits that ecosystems provide by controlling natural processes such as regulating local climate, purifying water and air and controlling erosion and floods.
Air Filtration: Filter airborne pollutants through the deposition, uptake, fixing, and storage of pollutants by ecosystem components, particularly plants, that mitigate the harmful effects of those pollutants.
Global Climate Regulation: Reduce the concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere through the removal (sequestration) of carbon from the atmosphere and the retention (storage) of carbon in ecosystems.
Soil and Sediment Retention: Reduce the loss of soil (and sediment) and support the use of the environment (e.g., agricultural activity, water supply).
Water Purification (Water Quality Regulation): Restore and maintain the chemical condition of surface water and groundwater bodies through the breakdown or removal of nutrients and other pollutants by ecosystem components that mitigate the harmful effects of those pollutants on human use or health.
Water Flow Regulation: Regulate the flow of water across the landscape and is divided into baseline and peak flow maintenance sub-types.
Baseline Flow Maintenance: Regulate river flows and groundwater and lake water tables. They are derived from the ability of ecosystems to absorb and store water and gradually release it during dry seasons or periods through evapotranspiration and hence secure a regular flow of water.
Peak Flow Mitigation: Regulate river flows and groundwater and lake water tables. They are derived from the ability of ecosystems to absorb and store water and hence mitigate the effects of flood and other water-related events. Peak flow mitigation services are supplied together with river flood mitigation services in providing the benefit of flood protection.
Flood Control: Provide structure and a barrier to high water levels and thus mitigates the impacts of floods on local communities. River flood mitigation services are supplied together with peak flow mitigation services in providing the benefit of flood protection.
Nursery Population and Habitat Maintenance: Necessary for sustaining populations of species that economic units ultimately use or enjoy, either through the maintenance of habitats (e.g., for nurseries or migration) or the protection of natural gene pools.
Cultural services are benefits that people obtain from ecosystems through recreation, aesthetic enjoyment, spiritual enrichment and cultural identity.
Visual Amenity: Ecosystem contributions to local living conditions, in particular through the biophysical characteristics and qualities of ecosystems, that provide sensory benefits, especially visual. These services combine with other ecosystem services, including recreation-related services and noise attenuation services, to underpin amenity values.
Recreation-Related: Contributions of ecosystems, in particular through their biophysical characteristics and qualities, that enable people to use and enjoy the environment, in situ, physical and experiential interactions with the environment. These include services both to locals and to non-locals (i.e., visitors, including tourists). Recreation-related services may also be supplied to those engaging in recreational angling or hunting.
Provisioning services are material products derived from ecosystems including food, fresh water, timber, fuelwood and genetic resources. The current iteration of the ESVC focuses on the provision of water supply, a service that is highly relevant to conservation and restoration projects.
Water Supply: Reflect the combined ecosystem contributions of water flow regulation, water purification, and other ecosystem services to the supply of water of appropriate quality to users for various purposes, including household consumption.
The values produced by the calculator represent annual ecosystem service benefits. These are the dollar value of the benefits nature provides in one year on average. These values assume the land being assessed is mature and ecologically healthy. The calculator does not account for how long it takes for a site to recover or grow; instead, it reflects the value of the services once the ecosystem has fully regenerated. For restoration projects, users should interpret the results as the annual benefits expected after the site has reached a mature state.
The calculator also provides a Social Return on Investment (SROI) value. SROI compares the total ecosystem service benefits generated over 30 years to the total cost of the project. It helps answer the question: How much social, environmental, and economic value is created for each dollar invested?
- A positive SROI means the estimated benefits are greater than the total project cost.
- A negative SROI means the estimated benefits are less than the total project cost.
The calculator uses an average dollar-per-hectare approach to estimate the value of ecosystem services. This is a widely used and accepted screening-level method, especially when a first-order, order-of-magnitude estimate is sufficient or when time and budget constraints limit detailed surveys, modelling, or fieldwork.
However, users should note several important limitations:
Not location-specific:
The values used in the calculator are not tailored to individual sites. They represent broad averages drawn from the literature and should be interpreted as indicative, not exact predictions of the value for a specific property.
Based on available research:
The hectare values included in the calculator were selected for their general relevance to the Alberta context, drawing primarily from Canadian studies and supplemented with U.S. studies where necessary. As more Alberta-specific valuation research becomes available, the calculator may be updated to incorporate these improved estimates.
Ecological condition assumptions:
The values assume that ecosystems are in mature and healthy condition. Actual values may differ if a site is degraded, fragmented, or still regenerating.
Not all ecosystem values are monetized:
Some ecosystem service benefits—especially cultural, relational, or community-specific values—cannot be reliably expressed in dollar terms. These important benefits are not captured in the calculator and should be considered alongside the calculator’s results.
Intended for high-level decision support:
Calculator outputs are best used for early-stage planning, communication, prioritization, and comparison among project options. They are not a substitute for detailed site-specific assessments or regulatory valuation requirements.
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