Stanford Natural Capital Project co-founder and faculty director Gretchen Daily is committed to resolving ecological and economic crises by gaining an appreciation for nature’s value. Daily collaborates with governments, international banks, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to calculate the worth of nature and evaluate the efficacy of conservation and restoration efforts by using the most recent scientific data and the project’s groundbreaking open-source software. Together, Daily and her colleagues will work to develop sustainable development strategies that value nature for what it does for people and the economy. Their goal is to help people all over the world understand how important it is to protect and restore diverse ecosystems by putting a numerical value on these factors and using them to inform decisions.
Passion for interdisciplinary methods from a young age
While earning her Ph.D. in ecology from Stanford University in the 1990s, Daily saw the rise of multidisciplinary strategies for addressing environmental and economic issues. The urgency of the climate crisis made it clear that long-held assumptions about economic systems needed to be reevaluated. As a result, Daily set out to address the need for sustainable development by bringing ecological viewpoints into economic decision-making. Her goal in bringing together the two disciplines was to find and advocate for policy solutions that would have positive effects on the economy and the environment.
The idea of ecosystem services was first proposed by
One of the first books to address the idea of ecosystem services—the value of resources like fresh water, rich soil, and species habitats—was edited by Daily in 1997 and was entitled Nature’s Services: Societal Dependence on Natural Ecosystems. The critical role of natural ecosystems in sustaining human well-being and economic stability was much-neededly highlighted by this groundbreaking publication. Ever since, the idea of ecosystem services has been increasingly popular, playing a pivotal role in determining environmental policy and conservation initiatives across the globe.
Launching the Ecological Investment Initiative
The findings of this study prompted Daily to launch the Natural Capital Project in 2005 with the goals of quantifying the worth of natural resources and bringing attention to the importance of conservation among world leaders. In the time after, the Natural Capital Project came up with new methods and tools to help policymakers appreciate and account for the worth of natural services. The project’s overarching goal is to improve human and environmental well-being in the future by facilitating the transfer of knowledge from the laboratory to the real world.
Strong alliances for a better world
International governments, banks, and nonprofits have joined forces with Stanford, the Nature Conservancy, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of Minnesota, and the World Wildlife Fund on this endeavor. The initiative’s goal is to address environmental issues like climate change, habitat loss, and biodiversity decline through the development and implementation of innovative strategies through this worldwide partnership. Sustainable solutions that benefit the earth and its inhabitants in the long run can be made possible when these varied stakeholders combine their knowledge and resources.
Using state-of-the-art technology
The Natural Capital Project’s open-source software model, InVEST, is used to evaluate and value natural resources with the help of data collected by thousands of researchers. Policymakers in different fields, including public agencies, commercial companies, and environmental groups, can learn a lot from this fresh perspective as they work to prioritize and account for ecosystems’ intrinsic value in their planning and resource distribution. Strategies that encourage sustainable development and protect natural capital for present and future generations can be made possible by InVEST, which quantifies and visualizes the direct and indirect benefits that nature gives to humans.
Modern developments in information gathering and processing
Evaluating ecosystems has never been easier or more thorough thanks to recent advancements in data gathering techniques, machine learning, and software modeling. Thanks to these developments, scientists and ecologists have a better grasp of the interdependencies among ecosystem species and the ways in which humans alter these environments. This has allowed for the development of conservation strategies that are both more specific and more effective, greatly increasing the likelihood that endangered ecosystems and the species that depend on them will survive.
An analysis of the conservation strategy for the Gulf of Morrosquillo
As an example of their work, they’re helping the Colombian government develop a plan to protect the Caribbean Gulf of Morrosquillo and its surrounding areas, finding a middle ground between protecting the environment and ensuring the continued success of the local agrarian, logging, and ranching economies. The shared goal of these efforts is to find long-term answers that will help the ecosystems and the people who live in them. The strategy aims to promote responsible economic growth while maintaining the region’s biodiversity by incorporating input from various stakeholders.
First Reported on: technologyreview.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Stanford Natural Capital Project?
The Stanford Natural Capital Project is an initiative co-founded by Gretchen Daily, which aims to measure the value of nature and assess the benefits of conservation and ecosystem restoration projects. The project collaborates with governments, global banks, and NGOs to create strategies for sustainable development that acknowledge the importance of nature’s contributions to human well-being and economies.
What is the concept of ecosystem services?
Ecosystem services refer to the various resources and benefits that humans obtain from natural ecosystems, such as clean water, fertile soil, and habitats for species. The concept of ecosystem services aims to quantify the value of these resources to raise awareness about the crucial role that natural ecosystems play in supporting human well-being and economic stability.
How does the Natural Capital Project promote sustainable development?
The project develops innovative tools and approaches that help decision-makers recognize and account for the value of nature’s services in their policies and actions. By bridging the gap between scientific research and real-world application, the project aims to promote sustainable development and ensure a better future for both humans and the environment.
Who are the partners in the Natural Capital Project?
The initiative is a collaboration between Stanford, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Nature Conservancy, the University of Minnesota, and the World Wildlife Fund. It also partners with banks, governments, and nonprofits worldwide to address environmental challenges such as climate change, habitat loss, and biodiversity decline.
What is the InVEST open-source software model?
InVEST is an open-source software model developed by the Natural Capital Project. It uses data from thousands of researchers to assess and assign value to natural resources, providing valuable insights for decision-makers in various sectors seeking to prioritize and incorporate the inherent worth of ecosystems into their planning and resource allocation. InVEST helps promote sustainable development and preserve natural capital for current and future generations.
How have recent advancements in data collection and analysis impacted conservation efforts?
Improvements in data collection methods, machine learning, and software modeling have enabled more comprehensive ecosystem evaluations, allowing researchers and environmentalists to better understand complex relationships within ecosystems and the impact of human activities on the environment. As a result, more targeted and effective conservation efforts can now be implemented, ensuring the preservation of threatened ecosystems and the species that inhabit them.
What is the Gulf of Morrosquillo conservation strategy?
The Gulf of Morrosquillo conservation strategy is a collaborative effort between the Natural Capital Project and the Colombian government to balance environmental conservation with the financial stability of local logging, ranching, and agriculture sectors. The strategy aims to provide sustainable solutions that benefit both ecosystems and communities relying on these resources, maintaining biodiversity and promoting responsible economic growth in the region.
