Using Ecosystem Service Values to Evaluate Tradeoffs in Coastal Hazard Adaptation

The benefits of coastal adaptation depend on both the conservation of coastal assets and effects on other ecosystem services. Evaluating these benefits requires approaches that can disentangle values related to the assets that are conserved and the methods through which conservation is achieved. This article illustrates paired theoretical and empirical models designed to quantify values related to the methods and outcomes of coastal adaptation. Particular attention is given to valuation challenges associated with dual outcomes that influence human welfare both directly and indirectly. An illustrative empirical application is drawn from a stated preference, discrete choice experiment implemented in the coastal communities of Waterford and Old Saybrook, Connecticut, United States, grounded in storm and flooding scenarios developed for the Coastal Resilience decision-support platform. Results enable estimation of households' willingness to pay for outcomes such as the reduction of flood risk for coastal homes and the protection of services from coastal marshes and beaches. These estimates enable the evaluation of tradeoffs in social value related to the use of alternative adaptation strategies. Comparison across communities illustrates how differences in context can lead to variations in values and tradeoffs.