Combining Economic and Ecological Indicators to Prioritize Wetlands Restoration Projects Within a Spatial GIS Framework

拟议研究的目标是：1.提高对货币经济价值、自然资源价值指标和指数以及利益转移方法之间联系的基本认识;制定湿地价值指标，反映资源资产的生态和社会背景; 3.开发基于GIS的经济评估方法，类似于自然科学研究中使用的流域方法，并对其进行补充。4.与罗得岛州的官员协调，制定实用的方法，利用社会、生态和经济价值指标对湿地恢复项目进行排名; 5.制定标准化方法，以便将模型和结果转移到其他地点。第一阶段将制定研究的理论模型和操作方法，并提供确定指标的初步步骤。这一阶段将包括发展指标、指数和经济估价方法之间的概念联系;协调这一方法与罗得岛环境管理部的数据收集工作;确定一套初步指标，作为实地研究的起点;以及发展模型，以便将指标与惠益转让方法联系起来。第二阶段将确定技术“专家”和一般公众所表达的价值的关键指标。这些数据将用于完善和量化指标，量化经济价值和指标之间的联系，比较“专家”和公众价值，并制定方法，将专家评估作为公众价值获取工具的投入。第三阶段将利用第一和第二阶段开发的方法和数据，开发和实施基于地理信息系统的工具，以确定湿地的优先事项。第三阶段还将比较不同的方法（美元估价、效用指数和价值指标），将结果应用于罗得岛的纳拉甘塞特湾流域，并测试该方法在其他地点的可移植性。研究将开发和实施一个基于GIS的工具，用于确定湿地恢复和重建项目的优先次序，并将把社会和经济价值的联合收割机指标与国家正在实施的以科学为基础的方法相结合，以制定协调的方法，在系统范围内平衡多个目标。这项研究将提供以前不连贯的方法之间的密切联系，以确定和衡量与自然系统相关的经济价值，为优先恢复项目创造一个跨学科的工具。该方法将用于估计和比较经济估值、（基于效用的）经济指数和经济价值指标。

The objectives of the proposed research are to: 1.improve the fundamental understanding of linkages between monetary economic values, indicators and indexes of natural resource values, and benefit transfer methodologies; 2. develop indicators of wetlands values that reflect the ecological and social context of resource asset; 3. develop GIS-based methodologies for economic valuation that are akin to, and complement, watershed approaches used in natural science studies.; 4. coordinate with officials in the State of Rhode Island to develop practical methods for ranking wetland restoration projects using indicators of social, ecological, and economic values; and 5. develop standardized methodologies allowing transfer of models and results to other sites.Phase I will develop the theoretical model and operational methodology of the study, and provide initial steps in defining indicators. This phase will include development of conceptual linkages between indicators, indexes and economic valuation methods; coordination of the approach with data collection efforts by Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management; identification of an initial set of indicators to serve as a starting point for the field research; and development of models to allow linking of indicators with benefits transfer methods. Phase II will identify key indicators of values as expressed by technical "experts" and by the general public. These data will be used to refine and quantify the indicators, to quantify linkages between economic values and indicators, to compare "expert" and public values, and to develop methods that use expert assessments as input into public value elicitation tools. Phase III will use methods and data developed in Phases I and II to develop and implement the GIS-based tool for identifying wetland priorities. Phase III will also compare different approaches (dollar valuation, utility indexes and value indicators), apply results to the Narragansett Bay watershed in Rhode Island, and test the transferability of the method to other sites.The research will develop and implement a GIS-based tool for prioritizing wetlands restoration and rehabilitation projects, and will combine indicators of social and economic values with science-based methods being implemented by the state, to develop coordinated methods to balance multiple objectives in a systems context. The research will provide close linkages between previously disconnected methods for identifying and measuring economic values associated with natural systems, creating an interdisciplinary tool for prioritizing restoration projects. The approach will be designed to estimate and compare economic valuation, (utility-based) economic indexes, and indicators of economic value.