The Quantitative Estimation of Ecological Services Provided by Crimean Forest Systems

Environmental services which are provided by geosystems consist of three types: producing, environment-forming and informational. In the article the first and partly the second types of services of Crimean forests have been estimated. Estimation is largely based on the market value of the goods and services provided by forests. The total cost of Crimean forest is about 6 000-7 400 dollars per hectare / year. It is comparable with the global estimation, which has been made by Robert Costanza for different types of landscapes, including forests. The most significant contribution to the total cost of making the value make such functions as the forest as a source of useful wild plants and water regulation. Recreational possibilities of forests play an important role as well. The total value of the environmental services provided by forest geosystems is at least 100-110 billion US dollars per year. The similar estimation can be made for ecological services of other type of Crimean geosystems, except forest as well as for other territories. However, regional specialties should be taken into account. The results of similar estimation can be useful for environmental management in any region