Socio-economy (M4); Seidl 79
Management-intervention costs for damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale in the Oberaargau
Irmi Seidl
Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111; 8903 Birmensdorf
Scientific summary
One of the species investigated in Oberaargau that potentially benefits management-interventions is the damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale, a focus species of Smaragd. Thanks to the Smaragd-Project and its conservation schemes, there is detailed knowledge and experience about useful protection measures.
Also data is available about the cost the various measures involve. Based on the study of the conservation cost for Swiss biotopes (Ismail et al. 2007), the management-intervention costs for the damselfly have been calculated. Cost data were gathered from reports of Trägerverein SMARAGD-Gebiet Oberaargau, from the Federal office of agriculture and in an interview with a conservation consultant. Preliminary costs are: 2500 CHF per year and municipality with rivers providing a habitat for the damselfly, and 3700 CHF per year and ha riverbank (buffer zone). Furthermore, there are non-recurring cost of 1500 CHF/ha river- bank. Thanks to the Smaragd-Project and generous funding by various organisations, suitable measures have been realised.
State of the art (pre-ENHANCE)
In 2007, the OECD (2007) gave Switzerland quite good rates concerning its environmental performance, yet, biodiversity and conservation made an exception. Beside high economic and demographic pressure on land and ecosystems, another possible reason for the critical situation of biodiversity and nature con- servation is insufficient financial means for nature conservation. Indeed, cantons, NGOs and researchers have repeatedly claimed higher financial means to fulfill the legal obligations regarding nature conserva- tion (e.g. Forum Biodiversität Schweiz 2004). Yet, the claims have been largely abstract (“more money”), as there is little knowledge about the concrete financial means that would be necessary.
This situation reflects the state research. There are few studies regarding the cost of conservation and intervention measures (none for Switzerland) and the few existing studies have been done in the 1980 and 1990s (Habermacher 2008 gathers and analyses studies in German language). Hence, the results are outdated. The situation is different for values of ecosystems, species and parcs. Here, a vast body of research exists. In order to calculate these values, challenging methods have been developed such as choice experiments, contingent valuations and multi-criteria valuations. The results strengthen the argu- ment that ecosystems, species, parcs etc. are highly valuable and appreciated by the public, but they do not sufficiently support concrete claims for financial support.
In 2009, the Swiss study “Kosten eines gesetzeskonformen Schutzes der Biotope von nationaler Bedeu- tung” (Ismail et al. 2007) has been published. Its aim was to calculate the financial means that are needed to protect nationally recognized biotops according to the legal obligations. These biotops include raised bogs, fens, wetlands, dry meadows and pastures, and amphibian spawning areas. As these biotops cover about 2 % of the national surface, a spectrum of measures has to be realized and consequently the costs can be calculated for a range of measures.
The study revealed that the means to protect the biotops according to legal obligations has to be about the double of what is being paid now. Furthermore, high non-recurring costs to restore the biotopes will be incurred.
The study of Ismail et al. (2007) is the basis for the calculation of the management-intervention costs for the damselfly in Oberaargau.
80 ENHANCE
Motivation and research questions for the project
The damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale is a species which is investigated in module 1 of Enhance (Gene level: Molecular technology to identify connectivity with and without interventions in agricultural and river/
riparian habitats). The investigations revealed that there seems to be a correlation between protection measures and species dispersion and richness. Moreover, as the damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale is a Smaragd-focus species, data about measures and costs to protect it are available. Hence, it was decided to calculate the costs of management interventions to protect and support damselfly.
The research questions are: 1) What cost categories are relevant for the protection of the damselfly and what measures are necessary? 2) What are the cost of the measures? 3) What are suitable unities of cost (surface, length of rivers, municipalities)?
Technical issues: material, methods, sampling, etc.
Five out of nine cost categories of Ismail et al. (2009) are relevant for the management of the damselfly.
The identified costs are compared with the costs identified in Ismail et al. for the Swiss biotops, and the same hourly wage rates are applied.
When it comes to the costs of management for the damselfly, these were gathered from four sources:
From reports of Trägerverein SMARAGD-Gebiet Oberaargau, from the Agrarbericht (Federal Office of Agriculture), from Ismail et al. (2009) and in an interview with C. Forrer, Bern, who supports and consults the municipalities in their conservation measures.
Fig. 1. The damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale; © Daniela Keller.
Socio-economy (M4); Seidl 81
Main results
The costs are calculated for the following cost categories: Planning and protection concept (Planung/
Schutzkonzepte); contract management (Vertragswesen); care and maintenance (Pflege und Unterhalt), visitor management and public relations (Besucherlenkung und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit). For these catego- ries, yearly costs are calculated. Furthermore, there is one category with non-recurring costs, namely for upgrading and regeneration (Aufwertung und Regeneration). Presently, the calculated costs of two categories still have to be verified. A report with the details of the calculation will be with the ENHANCE- Project leader.
1. The costs for planning and protection concepts include the following three elements: maintenance concept for the water body (identification of the waters, measures, realisation); consultation of the communities (how to realise the concept); concept for ecological connectivity (how to link ecological corridors etc.). The preliminary overall costs are max. 2500 CHF per municipality for the damsel- fly Coenagrion mercuriale.
2. The costs for contract management with farmers include negotiation, contract conclusion, consult- ing and monitoring of the riverbanks. There are costs of 312.50 CHF per year and 0.5ha riverbank under contract.
3. The costs for care and maintenance include three elements: weed control of the channel bed and vegetation, clearance of the waterway, and maintenance of the riverbank (buffer of 6m). For an ecologically sound maintenance of the riverbank that benefits the damselfly, the farmers receive 3000 CHF/ha riverbank as federal subsidies including a Smaragd-supplement. The overall effective costs still have to be verified.
4. The costs for visitor management and public relations include an information campaign and sign- postings. The costs amount to 133 CHF per year and municipality and to 33 CHF per ha river- bank and year.
5. The non-recurring costs concern upgrading and regeneration of the riverbanks. There are costs of 1500 CHF/ha riverbank.
The cooperation with the ecologists investigating the damselfly (in particular Daniela Keller, PhD-student) and the reports of Trägerverein SMARAGD-Gebiet Oberaargau resulted in an efficient and fast identifica- tion of the cost-relevant management measures. The investigation of Ismail et al. (2009) proved to pro- vide an useful framework for cost calculations of conservation management measures and to be detailed enough to test and compare identified costs.
References
Forum Biodiversität Schweiz 2004: Biodiversität in der Schweiz. Zustand, Erhaltung, Perspektiven. Bern, Haupt.
Habermacher, F. 2008: Ermittlung von Biotopschutzkosten – Literaturrecherche, Semesterarbeit, Umweltnaturwissenschaf- ten, ETH Zürich (http://www.wsl.ch/fe/wisoz/students/master_DE)
Ismail, S., Schwab, F., Tester, U., Kienast, F., Martinoli, D., Seidl, I., 2009: Kosten eines gesetzeskonformen Schutzes der Biotope von nationaler Bedeutung. Eidg. Forschungsanstalt WSL, sc.nat Forum Biodiversität Schweiz, pro natura, 122 p.
OECD 2007: Examens environnenmentaux de l’OCDE: Suisse. Paris, OECD.
