Kent, Donald M. “Evaluating Wetland Functions and Values” Applied Wetlands Science and Technology Editor Donald M. Kent Boca Raton: CRC Press LLC,2001 CHAPTER 3 Evaluating Wetland Functions and Values Donald M. Kent CONTENTS Functions and Values Aquatic and Wildlife Habitat Educational and Scientific Venue Elemental Transformation and Cycling Flood Flow Alteration Groundwater Recharge Particle Retention Production Export Raw Materials Recreation Soil Stabilization Evaluating Functions and Values Representative Evaluation Techniques Expert Opinion Wetland Evaluation Technique Rapid Assessment of Wetlands (RAW) Wetlands Integrated Monitoring Condition Index (WIMCI) Hydrogeomorphic Assessment (HGM) Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) Virtual Reference Wetlands (VRW) Economic Valuation Economic Valuation Methodologies Direct Economic Valuation Indirect. | Kent Donald M. Evaluating Wetland Functions and Values Applied Wetlands Science and Technology Editor Donald M. Kent Boca Raton CRC Press LLC 2001 CHAPTER 3 Evaluating Wetland Functions and Values Donald M. Kent CONTENTS Functions and Values Aquatic and Wildlife Habitat Educational and Scientific Venue Elemental Transformation and Cycling Flood Flow Alteration Groundwater Recharge Particle Retention Production Export Raw Materials Recreation Soil Stabilization Evaluating Functions and Values Representative Evaluation Techniques Expert Opinion Wetland Evaluation Technique Rapid Assessment of Wetlands RAW Wetlands Integrated Monitoring Condition Index WIMCI Hydrogeomorphic Assessment HGM Habitat Evaluation Procedures HEP Virtual Reference Wetlands VRW Economic Valuation Economic Valuation Methodologies Direct Economic Valuation Indirect Economic Valuation 2001 CRC Press LLC The Value of the World s Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital References As do all ecosystems wetlands have functions and values. Functions are processes that are inherent to a wetland. They derive from the wetland s hydrological geological biological and chemical characteristics. For example groundwater recharge is a wetland function that occurs when water in the wetland derived from precipitation surface runoff or both infiltrates downward through permeable soils to the groundwater table. Wetland functions occur regardless of whether there are people present to benefit from these processes. Wetland values are functions that prove useful or are important to people. The aforementioned wetland functioning to recharge groundwater will possess a groundwater recharge value only if the recharged groundwater is used by local or regional populations. Values may be provided within the confines of the wetland for example recreation or beyond the wetland boundaries for example flood protection. Another characteristic of wetland values is that they vary with time and circumstances. Again returning to the .
