What is the environment worth?
Does it have a value beyond the health and welfare of our community; a bottom-line contribution to our economy? We all talk about “Quality of Life” and intrinsically know that is important to the way we live but can we put a dollar value on what that means if we have a “better” or “worse” quality of life?
Studies show that workers and companies look for communities where there are abundant natural resources and recreational amenities to live, work and play. Are we leveraging what we have here in Berks County to attract economic development and a more educated work force? What if we invested more or less in our environment? Berks County’s water resources, landscapes and trail systems are the envy of many communities in southeast Pennsylvania. These are things that many of us take for granted. Only when we don’t have them will we realize how valuable they are.
As we consider the importance of our region’s open spaces, it’s essential that we recognize the roles our trees, fields, and forests play in filtering our water, cleansing our air, controlling flooding, and providing other environmental services. Although these vital services are provided naturally, they would be costly to replicate. If we maintain nature’s ability to provide environmental services, we will be saving on future costs to provide those same services.
In a 2010 Knight Foundation/Gallup study, aesthetics such as the physical beauty of a community including the availability of parks and green spaces are consistently listed as 1 of 4 factors as to why people are attached to their local community. The study also found that there is a positive correlation between community attachment and the local GDP (gross domestic product) growth. This is a key metric in assessing community success because local GDP growth not only measures a community’s economic success, but also its ability to grow and meet the residents’ needs. The community’s most attached residents have strong pride in it, a positive outlook on the community’s future, and a sense that it is the perfect place for them.
The Business of Nature is intended to raise awareness and appreciation of our exceptional natural resources in Berks, and to stimulate action and discussion to protect these resources.
Click on the links below to download the report in PDF format.
The Business of Nature (9.5 MB)
