New tool values Alberta ecosystems
The Ecosystem Services Value Calculator was developed by the Oldman Watershed Council, Green Analytics and Associated Engineering Alberta Ltd. It allows users to estimate the annual economic value of services provided by different land types, including wetlands, grasslands, forests, riparian areas, shrublands and open water.
Those services include water filtration, flood and drought mitigation, wildlife habitat, air filtration, water supply and recreation.
The tool is aimed at land managers, municipalities, non-profit organizations, restoration groups and decision-makers who want to better understand and communicate the economic value of natural systems.
“We know that healthy ecosystems around us provide valuable services, and now, thanks to the calculator, we can confidently say that they are real economic assets in Alberta and need to be managed responsibly,” said Shannon Frank, chief executive officer of the Oldman Watershed Council.
Frank said the tool can help governments, land managers, non-profit organizations and individuals understand what is happening on the land and how valuable those natural benefits are.
The calculator is relevant across southern Alberta, including the Crowsnest Pass area, which sits within the Oldman watershed. The watershed stretches from the Rocky Mountains through foothills, rangeland, agricultural areas and prairie grasslands.
According to the Oldman Watershed Council, the calculator draws on established scientific methods to estimate the value of ecosystem services. In some cases, the value of natural systems can be compared with the cost of built infrastructure, such as water treatment systems or flood control measures. In other cases, studies use survey-based methods to estimate what people are willing to pay to protect services such as wildlife habitat.
The methodology also uses a benefits transfer approach, which applies values from existing studies to similar land types in southern Alberta.
Amy Taylor of Green Analytics, who developed the calculator, said the ecosystem services included in the tool are supported by robust data.
“Many other ecosystem services contribute value to southern Alberta but are not included in the calculator yet, which means the numbers are conservative, and the dollar value of ecosystem services is likely much higher,” said Taylor.
The Oldman Watershed Council said its 2025–26 restoration work improved 40 hectares of riparian area, 100 hectares of wetland and more than 450 hectares of grassland. The organization estimates the services provided by those high-functioning ecosystems are worth $21.5 million each year.
The council said that represents money Albertans do not have to spend on services such as water filtration, flood protection and other infrastructure costs.
The calculator can also be used to estimate the long-term value of restoration projects once ecosystems are functioning well. The Oldman Watershed Council said values are based on healthy areas where ecosystem functions are established, either through natural processes or successful restoration.
The Oldman Watershed Council is a non-profit, multi-sector forum focused on watershed health across the Oldman River Basin. Its board includes representatives from agriculture, industry, conservation, Indigenous communities, academia and government.
The Ecosystem Services Value Calculator and its methodology are available through the Oldman Watershed Council website.