| Literature DB >> 29522554 |
Michael G Sorice1, C Josh Donlan2,3, Kevin J Boyle4, Weibin Xu4, Stefan Gelcich2,5,6,7.
Abstract
Payments for ecosystem services programs have become common tools but most have failed to achieve wide-ranging conservation outcomes. The capacity for scale and impact increases when PES programs are designed through the lens of the potential participants, yet this has received little attention in research or practice. Our work with small-scale marine fisheries integrates the social science of PES programs and provides a framework for designing programs that focus a priori on scaling. In addition to payments, desirable non-monetary program attributes and ecological feedbacks attract a wider range of potential participants into PES programs, including those who have more negative attitudes and lower trust. Designing programs that draw individuals into participating in PES programs is likely the most strategic path to reaching scale. Research should engage in new models of participatory research to understand these dynamics and to design programs that explicitly integrate a broad range of needs, values, and modes of implementation.Entities:
Mesh:
Year: 2018 PMID: 29522554 PMCID: PMC5844514 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192211
Source DB: PubMed Journal: PLoS One ISSN: 1932-6203 Impact factor: 3.240
Fig 1(A) A TURF-reserve program compensates Chilean fishing associations annually for setting aside a portion of their formal fishing grounds as a no-take reserve. The fishing association conducts anti-poaching surveillance. A third-party video-monitoring system monitors the no-take reserve for any contract breach. Baselines and control sites are established and biodiversity is monitored to document outcomes. (B) Some of the over 700 TURFs along the coastline of Chile showing coverage of all bioregions. Our study was conducted in the Central bioregion.
TURF-reserve program characteristics and levels evaluated.
Levels in bold were empirically identified as the most desirable program conditions from the fishers’ perspectives.
| Program Characteristics | Levels | |
|---|---|---|
| Contract length (period of no take) | ||
| 6 years | ||
| 10 years | ||
| Annual payment to TURF for participation | USD | CLP |
| $2,750 | 1,800,000 | |
| $4,130 | 2,700,000 | |
| $5,500 | 3,600,000 | |
| $6,730 | 4,400,000 | |
| Anti-poaching monitoring requirements | Coastal video | |
| Coastal video & boat-based surveillance | ||
| Increase in targeted resource (loco) | No change (0%) | |
| Moderate increase (10%) | ||
| Increase in biodiversity (reef fish) | No change (0%) | |
| High increase (20%) | ||
Fig 2(A) Predicted probability of approving a TURF-reserve program between the most and least desirable program, based on fisher preferences or program characteristics and outcomes. Payments have a positive effect on approval for both programs, but approval differs drastically, with the undesirable program never reaching majority (50%) approval. The effect of contract length on approval for undesirable (B) and desirable (C) programs reveals a tradeoff (highlighted in green): the probability of accepting an unfavorable 10-year contract at US$2,750 per year (probability = 0.39) in an otherwise desirable program is higher than the probability of accepting a favorable 2-year contract at the same payment level (probability = 0.26) in an otherwise undesirable program.
Fig 3Participation probabilities based on (A) attitudes toward participation, (B) trust that facilitating conditions implement the program exists, and (C) fisher’s dependence on the resource for the livelihood.
Fig 4(A) PES program scenarios through the lens of potential participant characteristics. Although program desirability is not a panacea, it increases the diversity of participants. In Chile, majority program approval by fishers with low levels of trust and livelihood dependence is only possible with desirable programs (blue lines). (B) The proportion of different PES programs being approved by potential participants across different payment levels. Program approval is consistently higher with desirable programs See Supporting Information for comparison of all program scenarios.