Socio-economic Benefits of Natura 2000 in Azores Islands - a Case Study approach on ecosystem services provided by a Special Protected Area

CRUZ, A., BENEDICTO, J. and GIL, A., 2011. Socio-economic Benefits of Natura 2000 in Azores Islands – a Case Study approach on the ecosystem services provided by a Special Protected Area. Journal of Coastal Research, SI 64 (Proceedings of the 11th International Coastal Symposium), ���� – ����. Szczecin, Poland, ISSN 0749-0208 This paper intends to evaluate the socio-economic benefits and assess the ecosystem services associated with the creation and existence of a Protected Area, but also with the development of a conservation project: LIFE-Priolo (2003-2008). Methods used ranged from qualitative ones to monetary valuation and valuation methods were defined for each service. The most important services in the SPA are those related to water provision, quality and regulation. Regulation provides a reduction in the occurrence of floods and landslides (29 deaths and around € 20,000,000 in damages, in 1997, in a village close to the SPA). This regulation of the water cycle also provides water worth more than € 600,000. Other important services were: Genetic/species diversity maintenance; Carbon storage estimated at around 465,000 tC plus 223,667,84 tC/year sequestered in the peat area; Ecotourism and Recreation estimated at around € 60,000/year plus € 16,500/year expenses on active tourism activities and Landscape and amenity values estimated at € 3,000,000 for the Povoacao region alone. Management of the SPA, had also an important socioeconomic impact by the creation of an average of 21.6 Full Time Jobs directly and support of another 4 Full Time Jobs every year, but this project also had impacts in terms of infrastructures and training of specialized workers. The results obtained by this study show that nature conservation and biodiversity protection support policies are fundamental for the sustainable development of these areas and can drastically improve quality of life and economic self-sufficiency of local populations by the diversification and creation of new skills, products and business opportunities.