SECTION 7 OTHER NATURAL CAPITAL STOCK FUNCTIONS

Previous chapters of this baseline environmental report (Section 3, Section 4, Section 5, Section 6) have addressed the key elements of the natural capital stock as defined for the SUSDEV 21 Study. However, as Figure 2.1a indicates, there are a number of further subsidiary values which may be attributed to some of the elements of the natural resources, ecological resources, heritage resources and assimilative capacity capital stock. These additional values, namely scientific, existence, landscape and recreational values are briefly reviewed in this section.

Data availability for some of the capital stock elements within these values are presently limited though data have been supplemented where possible using information derived for the study. For example, some information on landscape and recreational values will be obtained from the conservation ranking process undertaken as part of the baseline habitat mapping survey, and this will be added to the discussion when available. The assessment is therefore largely qualitative and discursive in style.

Scientific values have been defined as environmental features or resources which are being researched or are regarded as potential subjects for research. The resource might also include features which, due to their natural resource value or uniqueness, offer particular importance for research and/or education.