Geospatial Analysis of Nonmarket Values to Prioritize Forest Restoration

Forest restoration is necessary for maintaining healthy watersheds and the ecological spatial networks that provide environmental goods services. Consideration of dollar value these provided benefits in planning essential to efficient use limited resources available project implementation. Nonmarket valuation a methodology economics commonly used estimate monetary values services are not typically bought or sold traditional market. Valuation studies prolific within literature; however, nonmarket as decision support well represented. We introduce method using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) spatially analyze results from study estimated attributes forest characteristic semi-arid watershed Southwest United States. Map layers were created five valued by represent areas designated critical habitats, determined influence surface water quality, prone high-severity wildfire, representative culturally significant areas, contribute aquifer recharge. A series overlay analyses performed create composite benefit map displays throughout watershed. The per acre range USD 0 104 where all present.