Purpose
- Investigates the causes of economic imbalances.
- Investigates the effect of the global financial system and/or the monetary system in fostering a sustainable economy.
- Explores and develops market-based solutions.

Summary

This project will build upon Defenders’ previous ecosystem services and marketing work in areas supporting red wolf habitat by identifying potential buyers of red wolf habitat credits within a voluntary market framework. The project will also help identify and facilitate the development of a market structure for such transactions within which local landowners as the suppliers of credits can participate and generate income from their habitat and species conservation efforts. This project will leverage, complement and expand the private market-oriented habitat conservation incentive mechanisms that Defenders developed or is developing: ecotourism, and payments for ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and water quality. The project effort to identify potential buyers of red wolf habitat credits and facilitate market development will benefit from Defenders initiatives in other grant-funded projects at both the regional and national levels.


Red Wolf habitat credit meeting on Oct. 26, 2010 in Columbia, NC (Photo by Barrett Walker)

Purpose

This project will help address the Walker Foundation’s purposes of (1) investigating the causes of economic imbalances and (2) determining how monetizing environmental goods may help foster a sustainable rural economy in red wolf country. This project will also respond to the foundation’s goal of (3) funding activities that apply ecological economics in the context of market solutions to environmental problems and, in this particular case, wildlife and their habitat. By helping to identify potential individual and institutional buyers of wildlife habitat credits, and connecting buyers and sellers (landowners) through established market trading platforms, this project will assist in the goal of achieving a more sustainable rural economy in red wolf country.

Scope

The scope of this project is focused mainly at the local level in red wolf country in North Carolina. However, given the implications of the work and the efforts already put forth with work being done with local groups and national agencies around the country, the scope has widened. We will continue to expand upon this as we move forward with the project.

Amount Approved
$10,000.00 on 11/16/2009 (Check sent: 12/15/2009)

Related Organizations Defenders of Wildlife

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