How much money? A darn good example.
Trunchas, New Mexico
Confluence West is a consortium of preeminent western water leaders.
Water is the face of climate change in the American West Learn more
Friends –
What are the economic benefits of forest and watershed treatment? To accelerate investment (needed damn fast) in the health of western forests and the critical water supply provided, we need relevant stories and solid dollar estimates.
Thanks to Earth Economics and the Forest Service, the new report Greater Santa Fe Fireshed: Triple Bottom Line Analysis Of Fuel Treatments, we have a solid economic analysis to point to.
Here’s the bottom line: For the greater Santa Fe watershed, the report’s conservative analysis found that fuel treatments are estimated to generate between $1.44–$1.67 in benefits for every dollar invested in treatment. (See recent Confluence West blogs for more on wildfire costs.)
In addition to the benefit estimate and similar to what other western water utilities are looking at, The City of Santa Fe Water Division estimates that if a wildfire were to impact a significant portion of the watershed, the required dredging would cost between $80 million and $240 million.
“Public lands like the Santa Fe National Forest are incredibly valuable assets for local communities, supporting direct environmental and social benefits while also attracting visitors who spend money at local businesses,” commented Rowan Schmidt, one of the report’s lead authors.
Most benefits would accrue to the Santa Fe community by avoiding air quality impacts, recreational losses, reduced access for cultural practices, damage to structures, loss of wildlife and birds, and source water impacts. The remaining benefits accrue to public agencies at the state and national level or to the global community (in the case of avoided carbon emissions.)
At 173 square miles, the Santa Fe fireshed is small compared with others in the West. Thousands of square miles of headwater forests, communities, wildlife, and so much of our water sources need similar levels of treatment. In this new era of Building Back Better, green jobs, and the climate emergency, think of the benefits.
