Approximation to the valuation of the ecosystem services of the forest of Capulalpam de Mendez, Oaxaca, as a tool for its conservation

Abstract

The ecosystem services provided by natural systems can be valued economically through the total economic value theory (TEV), which constitutes a support tool for the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources. The goal of this work was to estimate the economic value of ecosystem services associated with tourism and the forest carbon capture in the municipality of Capulalpam de Mendez, Oaxaca. For this purpose, the VET theory was applied to assess tourism and the value of the forest based on surveys of residents, tourists and inhabitants of Mexico City, while the carbon capture valuation was done from bibliographic data reported for the site. The calculated TEV was above 111 million Mexican pesos; however, this value could be increased by taking other ecosystem services in the forest into account.