Federal policymakers and land managers are accountable to the public for how they use public resources and for the outcomes of policy and management decisions. Through a variety of economic analyses and custom modeling, SEA economists evaluate how investments and management decisions affect individuals, local communities, and society as a whole.
Specifically, SEA economists conduct both economic valuation and economic impact assessment.
- Economic valuation typically focuses on the value or benefits experienced by individuals.
- In contrast, economic impact assessment typically focuses on the benefits realized by businesses and communities and is often measured as jobs and business activity.
SEA economists also develop and estimate models of economic decision-making, contribute to related tools such as web applications, and communicate with the public and stakeholders about economic concepts, theory, and results.
Below are projects associated with the Economics and Ecosystem Services topic.
Jobs and Business Activity
Tools for Public Land Managers
Economics of Outdoor Recreation
Economics of Ecological Restoration
Economics of Invasive Species
Wildlife Economics
Value of Science
Economics of Wildland Fire
Water Economics
- Overview
Federal policymakers and land managers are accountable to the public for how they use public resources and for the outcomes of policy and management decisions. Through a variety of economic analyses and custom modeling, SEA economists evaluate how investments and management decisions affect individuals, local communities, and society as a whole.
Scientists hiking in Glacier National Park. Photo credit: Greg Pederson, USGS. Public domain. Specifically, SEA economists conduct both economic valuation and economic impact assessment.
- Economic valuation typically focuses on the value or benefits experienced by individuals.
- In contrast, economic impact assessment typically focuses on the benefits realized by businesses and communities and is often measured as jobs and business activity.
SEA economists also develop and estimate models of economic decision-making, contribute to related tools such as web applications, and communicate with the public and stakeholders about economic concepts, theory, and results.
- Science
Below are projects associated with the Economics and Ecosystem Services topic.
Jobs and Business Activity
Department of the Interior programs and activities generate and support jobs and business activity in local economies.Tools for Public Land Managers
Fort Collins Science Center Economists support numerous web applications that convey information and data to specific audiences. An important aspect of many of these tools is to connect practitioners and other stakeholders to resources.Economics of Outdoor Recreation
Planning and managing recreation areas is a series of choices, and not a day goes by that that manager doesn’t face a question, which at its roots, is often economic.Economics of Ecological Restoration
Beyond the impacts to jobs and business activities, economics can play an important role in understanding the return on project investments by studying the benefits of project outcomes to society.Economics of Invasive Species
In managing invasive species, land managers and policy makers need information to help allocate scarce resources as efficiently and effectively as possible.Wildlife Economics
From the benefits of tourism and hunting, to the protection of rare and endangered species, economics can play an important role in understanding humans’ relationship with wildlife.Value of Science
The science conducted across the USGS affects the well-being of hundreds of millions of Americans. However, it is challenging to quantify the value of this science, and better understanding and communication of this value is often needed.Economics of Wildland Fire
In recent decades, wildfires have increased in size and intensity, and the fire season has lengthened. This and other factors have increased wildfire suppression costs and risks to human health and safety. SEA economists investigate numerous aspects of wildland fire, its impacts, and how to mitigate the risk wildfire poses to people, resources, and property.Water Economics
Water is associated with numerous ecosystem services, including clean water for drinking, support for outdoor recreation, provision for other ecosystem processes, and direct cultural values. - Partners