Costs and benefits of erosion control measures in the UK

Soil erosion is a key threat to ecosystem services. This study assesses the cost‐effectiveness of erosion control measures based on an ecosystem services approach. The economic appraisal consists of an assessment (i.e. quantification and valuation) of the on‐site and off‐site impacts of soil erosion...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Soil use and management 2015-10, Vol.31 (S1), p.16-33
Main Authors: Posthumus, H, Deeks, L. K, Rickson, R. J, Quinton, J. N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture
Assessments
conservation buffers
control methods
Cost analysis
cost effectiveness
Cost engineering
costs and returns
economic valuation
Economics
ecosystem services
Ecosystems
environmental impact
Erosion control
farmers
Farming
farms
Management
mulching
planting
plowing
sediment traps
soil
soil conservation
Soil erosion
soil policy
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Summary:Soil erosion is a key threat to ecosystem services. This study assesses the cost‐effectiveness of erosion control measures based on an ecosystem services approach. The economic appraisal consists of an assessment (i.e. quantification and valuation) of the on‐site and off‐site impacts of soil erosion, and its mitigation, on ecosystem services. Many erosion control measures result in negative financial and economic returns. This explains why farmers are generally reluctant to implement erosion control measures without compensation. Based on the assessment described in this study, tramline management, mulching, buffer strips, high‐density planting and sediment traps are the most cost‐effective erosion control measures for agriculture in the UK. Contour ploughing also appears to be cost‐effective, but this measure is not appropriate in all circumstances and therefore cannot be widely promoted. However, actual cost‐effectiveness of erosion control measures will differ for local circumstances, and it is therefore advised that individual assessments are made at farm level or field level before recommendations are made to farmers.
ISSN:0266-0032
1475-2743
DOI:10.1111/sum.12057