Conservation Choices in the Face of Sea-Level Rise: A Case Study on Marsh Migration from Phippsburg, Maine. (30th August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dissanayake, Sahan T. M.; Hennessey, Meagan K.
• Editors: Teisl, Mario F.; Bell, Kathleen P.; Noblet, Caroline L.
• Is Part Of: Agricultural and resource economics review. Volume 46:Number 2(2017)
• Page Start: 388
• Page End: 419
• Publication Date: 2017-08-30
• Subjects: climate change, -- coastal conservation, -- sea-level rise, -- site-selection, -- reserve design; Sustainable agriculture -- Periodicals; Sustainable agriculture -- United States -- Periodicals; Natural resources -- Periodicals; Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- Periodicals; Rural development -- Periodicals; 338.10974
• DOI: 10.1017/age.2017.24
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1068-2805

Abstract

Abstract : We analyze the benefits of incorporating climate change into land conservation decisions using wetland migration under rising sea-levels as a case study. We use a simple and inexpensive decision method, a knapsack algorithm implemented in Excel, with (1) simulation data to show that ignoring sea-level rise predictions lead to suboptimal outcomes, and (2) an application to land conservation in Phippsburg, Maine to show the real-world applicability. The simulation shows an 11-percent to almost 30-percent gain in increased benefits when accounting for sea-level rise. The results highlight that it is possible to, and important to, incorporate sea-level rise into conservation planning.