Monitoring of Socio-economics Impacts

In Natureman, we must monitor various social and economic issues and report on the socioeconomic effect of the project.

As the project work to make nature conservation a more attractive line of business, the economic gain for landowners, animal keepers, other stakeholders in the production stage and the tourism industry is analyzed. At the same time, the effects of nature conservation activities on job opportunities and development potentials for other groups, including people with reduced physical and mental functional abilities, are collected.

With the tool 'ecosystem services' it is possible to value several of the services we get from nature's ecosystems. Ecosystem services is a term used for the resources and benefits that humans and societies receive from nature's ecosystems. It is a tool which can be used to ensure a holistic and sustainable approach to planning, project development as well as dialogue with project partners, decision makers and stakeholders.

A general distinction is made between four groups of ecosystem services:

• The suppliers, who i.a. gives us food, drinking water and timber
• The regulators, who i.a. regulates climate, water, air, insect pollination and pests
• The cultural ones that generate aesthetic, spiritual and recreational values
• The maintainers who support the other services in the form of e.g. nutrient cycles, biodiversity and soil formation

The ecosystem services are measured in all or selected project areas in Natureman and include the following elements:

• Number of farmers and advisers with nature conservation education
• Knowledge in the population about nature conservation as an industry
• Area with crops
• Area with nature, size, coherence, restored hydrology
• State of nature: structure and species
• Effect on climate
• Improve rural infrastructure by land consolidation
• Quantity / price of biomass
• Production of nature meat
• Labeling of nature meat
• Local products, sales, and distribution
• Number of visitors, recreation
• How many jobs does the project generate?