DR_presentation_Larson

Landscape analysis: determining
ecological land value to validate the
SENARA canal project
Jakob P. Larson
University of Redlands 17’
B.A. Environmental Business – Minor in
Spatial Studies

Introductory Context
• SENARA canal project plans to encroach in on
the Lomas Biological Reserve by 123 hectares
– creating an inundated area
• Lomas BR is an ecologically diverse area that
will need to be compensated
• Conservation concerns revolve around the
equal and equitable exchange between
inundated and compensated

Objective
• To create an equation based on data collected
and other ecological conditions.
• Equation will be used in order to assign a per
hectare value to each region.
• Per hectare value will be used to assist in
ensuring a equivalent land exchange and
equal conservation of biodiversity

Methods
• Develop land value equation - next slide
• GIS data from: The Organization for Tropical
Studies (OTS), the 2014 Costa Rican Atlas, and
field collected data
• Projected coordinate system: WGS 1984 Costa
Rica TM 90 – Transverse Mercator, Decimal
Degrees

Derived Land Value Equation
• (Bird species) + (forest density) + (Region
conservation efforts) + (Life Zones) +
(Accessibility to rivers) + (Forest Type) / (%
total) = percent value for region
• A weighted percentage will be created for
each ecological condition
– i.e. mature/old growth forest = 100% weight land
value, secondary/young growth forest = 75%
weight value, etc.

Birds % Total Birds % Total
43/51 Species 84.3 100 38/51 Species 74.5 100
Percent Value per ha of land 0.77657 Percent Value per ha of land 0.49832
Tree Density
Tree Density
26/142 > 30 cm DBH 18.2 100 6/128 > 30 cm DBH 4.7 100
Life Zones
Life Zones
1/1 - Premontano 100 100 1/1 - Premontano 100 100
Protected Areas
Protected Areas
Lomas Barbudal 100 100 Rincon Barbudal 50 100
Bio-reserve & protected area
(Working cattle ranches)
Rivers
Rivers
High accessability 100 100 Low accessability 25 100
Forest Types
Forest Types
Mature 24.37 100 Mature 0 100
Secondary 3.78 Secondary 3.75
Dry 35.29 Dry 34.58
None and/or pasture 0 None and/or pasture 6.46
Totals 465.9 600 Totals 299 600

Comparison
% % Ratio Value per ha Value of parcel To Compensate Difference
IN 77.70% 1: .777 123*.777 = 95.57
CP 49.80% 1: .498 123*.498 = 61.25
123*95.57 =
11,755.11 N/A N/A
123*61.25 = 11755.11/61.25 = 191.92-123 =
7,533.75 191.92
68.92

• IN is 27.9% more valuable
in its weighted
percentage
– IN has a per hectare value
of 34.32 greater than CP
– overall parcel value of
4,221.36 greater than CP
– in order to become equally
comparable CP would need
a total conservation area of
191.92 ha or 68.92 more
ha then the current land
area of IN
Discussion

Discussion
• Rincon Barbudal (compensated region) is only an
ecologically monitored area – active cattle ranching
• Concerns for conservation and diversity protection
• Associated with the canal project are other
negative externalities: threats to Palo Verde,
increase in unsustainable agriculture, population
increases, and expansion of tourism industry in the
Nicoya Peninsula

Conclusion
• Landscape ecology is the bridge between the
sciences and humanities
• Value of land = its’ ecological/environmental
importance
• Value to be placed on what the environment
offers society, not what it offers to the individual
• Avoiding the “megamachine of society” – clash
between economic and ecological style of valuing
the land

Thank you