FEMA Ecosystem                                        
   Service Value Updates 
    
   June 2022 
    
                    
        FEMA Ecosystem Service Value Updates 
                          This page intentionally left blank 
         
         
                                                             
                   FEMA Ecosystem Service Value Updates 
                   Table of Contents 
                         1.   Background and Purpose of this Report ................................................................................... 1 
                         2.   Classifying Ecosystem Services ................................................................................................. 5 
                         3.   Methods for Valuing Ecosystem Services ................................................................................. 9 
                         4.   Ecosystem Service Value Updates ......................................................................................... 11 
                              4.1.     Summary of Proposed Land Cover Categories and Ecosystem Service Values ....... 11 
                              4.2.     Summary of Changes to FEMA’s 2016 Land Cover Categories and Ecosystem 
                                       Service Values .............................................................................................................. 12 
                         5.   Using Ecosystem Service Values in the FEMA BCA Toolkit .................................................... 17 
                              5.1.     Identify each Land Cover Category Associated with the Mitigation Action ............... 17 
                              5.2.     Ensure Each Land Cover Category Meets Feasibility & Effectiveness Criteria ......... 22 
                              5.3.     Select an Appropriate Project Useful Life ................................................................... 23 
                              5.4.     Conceptual Examples ................................................................................................... 26 
                              5.5.     “Real World” Examples ................................................................................................ 29 
                         Appendix A. Forest .......................................................................................................................... 37 
                              Land Cover Definition ................................................................................................................ 37 
                              Feasibility & Effectiveness Criteria ........................................................................................... 37 
                              Mitigation Project Use Cases .................................................................................................... 38 
                              Project Useful Life Considerations ........................................................................................... 39 
                              Summary of Value Updates ...................................................................................................... 39 
                              Ecosystem Service Values ........................................................................................................ 40 
                         Appendix B. Coastal Wetland ......................................................................................................... 53 
                              Land Cover Definition ................................................................................................................ 53 
                              Feasibility & Effectiveness Criteria ........................................................................................... 53 
                              Mitigation Project Use Cases .................................................................................................... 55 
                              Project Useful Life Considerations ........................................................................................... 55 
                              Summary of Value Updates ...................................................................................................... 56 
                              Ecosystem Service Values ........................................................................................................ 57 
                         Appendix C. Inland Wetland ........................................................................................................... 71 
                              Land Cover Definition ................................................................................................................ 71 
                   i 
        FEMA Ecosystem Service Value Updates 
             Feasibility & Effectiveness Criteria ........................................................................................... 71 
             Mitigation Project Use Cases .................................................................................................... 73 
             Project Useful Life Considerations ........................................................................................... 73 
             Summary of Values Updates .................................................................................................... 73 
             Ecosystem Service Value .......................................................................................................... 74 
           Appendix D. Urban Green Open Space .......................................................................................... 85 
             Land Cover Definition ................................................................................................................ 85 
             Feasibility & Effectiveness Criteria ........................................................................................... 85 
             Mitigation Project Use Cases .................................................................................................... 86 
             Project Useful Life Considerations ........................................................................................... 87 
             Summary of Value Updates ...................................................................................................... 88 
             Ecosystem Service Values ........................................................................................................ 88 
           Appendix E. Rural Green Open Space ............................................................................................ 99 
             Land Cover Definition ................................................................................................................ 99 
             Feasibility & Effectiveness Criteria ........................................................................................... 99 
             Mitigation Project Use Cases .................................................................................................. 100 
             Project Useful Life Considerations ......................................................................................... 101 
             Summary of Value Updates .................................................................................................... 101 
             Ecosystem Service Values ...................................................................................................... 102 
           Appendix F. Riparian ..................................................................................................................... 111 
             Land Cover Definition .............................................................................................................. 111 
             Feasibility & Effectiveness Criteria ......................................................................................... 112 
             Mitigation Project Use Cases .................................................................................................. 113 
             Project Useful Life Considerations ......................................................................................... 114 
             Summary of Value Updates .................................................................................................... 114 
             Ecosystem Service Values ...................................................................................................... 115 
           Appendix G. Coral Reefs ............................................................................................................... 131 
             Land Cover Definition .............................................................................................................. 131 
             Feasibility & Effectiveness Criteria ......................................................................................... 131 
             Mitigation Project Use Cases .................................................................................................. 132 
        ii