New video on assigning economic value for wetlands

A new video, “Valor económico” (“Economic value”), produced as part of ITTO project RED-PD 045/11 Rev.2 (M), explores the full economic value of flooded forests and wetlands (mangroves, swamps and marshes) in Mexico based on the goods and services they provide. The video is available in Spanish only.

The video presents the results of an economic valuation of flooded forests and wetlands conducted by the project in the state of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico. Among other things, these forests provide crucial protection against storms and floods, help regulate the water supply, underpin a lucrative fishing industry and store large quantities of carbon. The valuation concluded that, if all these services are taken into account, flooded forests and wetlands are vastly more valuable than the grazing land that often replaces them. The aim of the video is to raise awareness among farmers and policymakers of the importance of balancing development with the essential benefits provided by nature.
 
This is the third video produced by the project, the aim of which is to enable informed decision-making on natural resource management in the region. The project has also published technical publications, scientific papers and promotional materials, which can be located by entering the project code into ITTO’s project search function.