ERG Supports NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program’s Ecosystem Services Valuation

ERG is helping the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program estimate ecosystem service values of coral reefs in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marina Islands, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii, South Florida, and two uninhabited areas in the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. Coral reefs provide many ecosystem services, including coastal protection, snorkeling, habitat for commercial and subsistence fisheries, and more. As part of this project, ERG will perform a literature review, engage local stakeholders to gather insight on cultural values and local reef uses, collaborate with a socioeconomic technical working group to provide input on best practices for estimating ecosystem service values, and develop and implement methods to estimate the value of each service by geography. The project’s insight on how society values coral reefs will help NOAA make management decisions about coral reef research and conservation.