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Economic evaluation of wetland restoration: a systematic review of the literature
Author(s) -
Browne Michelle,
Fraser Gavin,
Snowball Jeanette
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
restoration ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1526-100X
pISSN - 1061-2971
DOI - 10.1111/rec.12889
Subject(s) - valuation (finance) , wetland , restoration ecology , economic evaluation , environmental resource management , systematic review , cost–benefit analysis , environmental planning , geography , business , environmental science , political science , economics , ecology , medline , accounting , law , biology , microeconomics
Evaluating the outcomes of wetland restoration projects is critical to improve practice and justify further investment in wetland restoration. We conducted a systematic literature review to evaluate the current state of knowledge on the economic valuation of the outcomes of wetland restoration. We assessed the economic methods applied, the attributes valued, and the timing of the evaluation in relation to the age of restoration along with publication trends. Research on the topic is increasing, but studies from Africa and South America are lacking. A diverse cross‐disciplinary interest is notable, yet collaborations between disciplines are less frequent. Of particular concern is that only a third of the studies were undertaken postrestoration, and even fewer for restorations older than 10 years. Gaps in the knowledge base mean that our present understanding of the value achieved through wetland restoration is tentative. The need for postrestoration site‐specific valuation efforts remains large both to justify further investment and to improve confidence in predictive and value transfer approaches as practical tools to inform decision‐making.