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Senior Economist

Gregory Valatin leads economic research at Forest Research. His research interests include forestry and climate change economics and cost-effectiveness analysis, payments for ecosystem services, behavioural economics and policy nudges. He was lead author of the woodlands and economics chapters of the UK National Ecosystem Assessment, and the main author of the supporting analysis on valuing the ecosystem services of woodlands. He initiated a proposal for a new COST Action (‘PESFOR-W’) aimed at improving Europe’s capacity to use Payments for Ecosystem Services to achieve water policy objectives through incentives for planting woodlands to reduce agricultural diffuse pollution to watercourses. The topic has generated wide interest and, as at Feb 2017, it has participants from 36 countries, and interest of several international organisations.

Gregory Valatin has over 20 years’ experience in environmental economics and holds degrees from Edinburgh University and the University of Siena. He has authored reports commissioned by a range of national and international bodies – including the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Forestry Institute, Defra and the Scottish Office.

Gregory Valatin on ResearchGate

Affiliations

Forestry Staff Gregory Valatin.d744f2ef.fill 600x600 1

Gregory Valatin

MA, MPhil, PhD
Principal Economist
Climate change

Alice Holt

Alice Holt Lodge

Wrecclesham

Farnham

Surrey

Related Research

Research

Economics of Woodland Creation in England

The Economics of Woodland Creation project aims to build England’s forest economic evidence base to help land managers and businesses make informed decisions on land use change and woodland management. This will be achieved through the collection and economic analysis of information on the financial implications of woodland creation options.

Status current

Research

Validating Woodland Water Code metrics and methodologies

Validating estimations of the benefits of woodland creation for the freshwater environment to support private investment in trees for the improvement of the freshwater environment. The private investment mechanism is referred to as a Woodland Water Code (WWC).

Status completed
Green Finance in the Context of UK's Trees, Woods, and Forests

There is a need for Green Finance mechanisms to increase private investment in UK woodland creation and tree planting. Forest Research is exploring existing evidence on this topic, identifying innovative mechanisms, existing case studies and research gaps.

Payments for Ecosystem Services (Forests for water)

The aim of the PESFOR-W COST Action is to synthesize knowledge, provide guidance and encourage collaborative research to improve Europe’s capacity to use Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES)

Valuing Non-Woodland Trees

This work helps us to understand the overall value of our treescape, in which non-woodland trees play a critical role. We define non-woodland trees as single trees in urban and rural places, groups of trees covering less than 0.1 hectares, and small woods covering less than 0.5 hectares.

Valuation of Welsh Forest Resources

This study estimates using a natural capital accounting approach the value of five ecosystem goods and services provided by woodlands in Wales: standing timber, timber extraction, carbon sequestration, recreation and air quality improvement.

Harvested Wood Products and Carbon Substitution

This study reviews approaches to accounting for carbon storage and carbon substitution benefits of harvested wood products under existing carbon market standards, and considers how the UK Woodland Carbon Code - which at present covers climate change mitigation benefits of afforestation in terms of carbon sequestration, might be extended.

Marginal abatement cost curves (MACCs) for UK forestry

This page summarises the results of Forest Research’s assessment of different approaches and methodologies for estimating marginal abatement cost curves (MACCs) for the UK.

Scientific review: cost effectiveness of forestry for climate change mitigation

This page summarises the results of Forest Research’s calculations on the potential and cost-effectiveness of UK’s forests to mitigate climate change.

The Natural Environment Framework: estimating the value of new woodland

The page summarises findings from Forest Research’s work to estimate the expected net economic benefits that Forestry Commission Wales would deliver by meeting targets for new woodland set out in the Natural Environment Framework.

Scientific review: approaches to carbon additionality

This page summarises Forest Research’s main conclusions and recommendations arising from its review of the underlying rationale and methodologies for carbon additionality calculations.

Payments for ecosystem services

Investigating a framework of incentives covering financing and paying for the benefits provided by ecosystems to households, communities and economies

Review of approaches to carbon valuation, discounting and risk management

Establishing a framework that places a value on carbon

Related Publications

Publication

Developing a woodland water code: Phase 1 (2023–2025)

This publication provides an overview of Phase 1 of the project 'Developing a Woodland Water Code'.

Published
Themes

Publication

In Brief: Timber prices and elasticities for emerging species and different product categories

Overview This In Brief summarises a report on future timber prices and price elasticities of demand for emerging species and different product categories. The report reviewed existing studies, focusing on those most relevant to UK timber markets. The emerging species considered are those tree species predicted to have a more prominent role in UK forestry in […]

Published
Themes
Economics
In Brief: Green Finance in the Context of Trees, Woods and Forests

This research examines the applications of green finance to trees, woods, and forests (TWF) in the UK, focusing on innovative financing mechanisms. It investigates how green finance is defined and identifies financial mechanisms that have the potential to increase private investment into the country’s TWF.

Valuing the mental health benefits of woodlands

This study is the first attempt to provide national estimates of the natural capital value of the mental health benefits provided by UK woodlands.

Carbon storage and substitution benefits of harvested wood products

This Research Note considers the potential of extending coverage of the UK Woodland Carbon Code to the carbon benefits of wood products associated with woodland creation projects.

How does a biodiversity value impact upon optimal rotation length? An investigation using species richness and forest stand age

A study integrating biodiversity data for British forests with economic modelling of optimal rotation length. Investigation revealed some evidence of relationships between overall species richness and stand age.

Valuing flood regulation services of existing forest cover to inform natural capital accounts

Background Forests are recognised to reduce flood flows, although the issue is complex and continues to be explored. While the processes of how trees affect the generation and conveyance of flood waters are understood, there remains a lack of monitoring data to quantify effects at the catchment scale (click here to visit the WWNP evidence base webpage). This […]

Comparing the cost-effectiveness of forestry options for climate change mitigation

This Research Note examines two recent studies which assessed the cost-effectiveness of forestry options for climate change mitigation across Great Britain.

Timber, carbon and wind risk: towards an integrated model of optimal rotation length

Modern forest management practice increasingly adopts an ecosystem services approach to account for the multiple benefits and objectives of forestry. It is also increasingly linked to climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. In view of the priority given to these policy agendas, it is important that new models take an integrated approach to accounting for […]

Behavioural policy 'nudges' to encourage woodland creation for climate change mitigation

Evidence indicates that woodland creation is generally a cost-effective method of climate change mitigation, when compared with a range of alternatives. However, engaging landowners and land managers in woodland creation schemes can sometimes prove difficult, and this affects prospects for meeting national woodland planting targets and associated climate change mitigation objectives. Although reluctance to plant […]

Insights from behavioural economics for ecosystem services valuation and sustainability

Ecosystem services refer to the benefits or outputs that people derive from ecosystems. Following the publication of the UK National Ecosystem Assessment there has been a growing interest in assessing the flows of such services and valuing the contribution they make to human well-being. This Research Report draws upon recent evidence (years 2001 to 2012) […]

Marginal abatement cost curves for UK forestry

Comparing the cost-effectiveness of different climate change mitigation measures is essential in minimising the cost of meeting national greenhouse gas reduction targets. The costs of different measures and their potential to reduce emissions or sequester greenhouse gases can be depicted using a Marginal Abatement Cost Curve. Previous studies have shown that UK forestry measures are […]

Forests and carbon: a review of additionality

Additionality is a core aspect of quality assurance of greenhouse gas emissions reduction and sequestration activities, being used in a climate change context to mean net abatement over and above that which would have arisen anyway in the absence of a given activity or project. The underlying rationale of is to distinguish activities which further […]

Forests and carbon: valuation, discounting and risk management

Carbon valuation, discounting and risk management are important in ensuring that effective incentives are put in place to tackle climate change, and in comparing the relative merits of climate mitigation activities over time. Approaches applied in different contexts, including in relation to permanence issues, are reviewed in order to help inform development by the Forestry […]

The economic and social contribution of forestry for people in Scotland - Summary report

Results of a research project aiming to provide a comprehensive valuation of the current social and economic benefits of Scottish forestry, forests and woodlands derived by the people of Scotland. By David Edwards, Jake Morris, Liz O’Brien, Vadims Sarajevs and Gregory Valatin. Forestry Commission Research Note 102. Related pages People, trees and woodlands Social forestry research

Payments for ecosystems services

Ecosystem services have traditionally been regarded as ‘free goods’ and there is a lack of incentives to protect them. Payments for Ecosystem Services attempt to rectify this, often through market mechanisms. The use of these schemes has become more widespread particularly in the USA and some developing countries. By Gregory Valatin (Forest Research) and Jenna Coull […]

Other Research

PESFOR-W COST Action
Chair
Gregory Valatin leads this 4-year COST Action that runs from 2016-2020, including chairing meetings.

Programme 4
Work Package and Work Areas leader
Gregory Valatin leads WP1 on Valuing Ecosystem Services and Benefits, and Work Areas 1.2 on Biophysical Ecosystem Services and 3.2 on Cost-benefit analysis of forestry options, organising/participating in meetings and reporting on progress.

LWEC PHYTO-THREATS project
Work Area leader
Gregory Valatin leads Work Areas 2.2 on cost-benefit analysis of nursery accreditation options

Peer reviewed journal articles

Peer reviewed papers

Kant, S., Deegan, P., Hostettler, M., Wang, S., Xu, J. and Valatin, G. 2016. New frontiers of forest economics: Forest economics beyond the perfectly competitive commodity markets, Forest Policy and Economics, 72, 1-6

Valatin, G., Moseley, D. and Dandy, N. 2016. Insights from behavioural economics for forest economics and environmental policy: Potential nudges to encourage woodland creation for climate change mitigation and adaptation? Forest Policy and Economics, 72, 27–36

Valatin. G. (2012). Additionality and climate change mitigation by the UK forest sector (PDF-773K). Forestry (2012) 85 (4): 445-462. DOI: 10.1093/forestry/cps056.

Kant, S., Deegan, P., Hostettler, M., von Detten, R., Howard, T., Laband, D., Montgomery, C., Robert, N., Sekot, W., Valatin, G. and Zhang, D. 2013. New frontiers of forest economics, Forest Policy and Economics, 35, 1-8

Valatin, G.(2014). Carbon valuation in forestry and prospects for European harmonisation, Technical Report 97, European Forestry Institute.

Books and book chapters

Valatin, G. 2014. Additionality of climate change mitigation activities. In: Fenning, T. (ed). Challenges and Opportunities for the World’s Forests in the 21st Century, Springer, 341-373.

Valatin, G. and Price, C.(2014). How cost-effective is forestry for climate change mitigation? In: Fenning, T. (ed). Challenges and Opportunities for the World’s Forests in the 21st Century, Springer, 297-339.

Bateman, I., Abson, D., Beaumont, N. Darnell, A., Fezzi, C., Hanley, N., Kontoleon, A., Maddison, D., Morling, P., Morris, J., Mourato, S., Pascual, U., Perino, G., Sen, A., Tinch, D., Turner, K., and Valatin, G. (2011). UK Economic Values from Ecosystems, chapter 22 of UK National Ecosystem Assessment, UNEP-WCMC/Defra, London.

Quine, C., Cahalan, C., Hester, A., Humphrey, J., Kirby, K., Moffat, A. and Valatin, G. (2011). Woodlands, chapter 8 of UK National Ecosystem Assessment, UNEP-WCMC/Defra, London.

Ciccarese, L., Elsasser, P., Horattas, A., Pettenella, D. and Valatin, G. (2011). Innovative market opportunities related to carbon sequestration in European forests?, Chapter 9 of Weiss, G. et al. (eds) Innovation in Forestry, CABI, Wallingford.

FC and FR publications

Barsoum, N., Gill, R., Henderson, L. Peace, A., Quine, C., Saraev, V. and Valatin, G. 2016. Biodiversity and rotation length: economic models and ecological evidence Research Note FCRN022, Forestry Commission

Moseley, D., Dandy, N., Edwards, D. and Valatin, G.(2014). Behavioural policy ‘nudges’ to encourage woodland creation for climate change mitigation, Research Report, Forestry Commission, Edinburgh.

Moseley, D. and Valatin, G.(2013). Insights from behavioural economics for ecosystem services valuation and sustainability, Research Report, Forestry Commission, Edinburgh.

Valatin, G.(2012). Marginal Abatement Cost Curves for UK Forestry, Research Report 19, Forestry Commission, Edinburgh. (MANFORC).

Valatin, G. (2011). Forests and carbon: a review of additionality (PDF-559K). Research Report 13, Forestry Commission, Edinburgh, 2011.

Valatin, G. (2011). Forests and carbon: valuation, discounting and risk management (PDF-1168K). Research Report 12, Forestry Commission, Edinburgh.

Contract and project reports

Nisbet, T., Roe, P., Marrington, S., Thomas, H., Broadmeadow, S. and Valatin, G. 2015. Slowing the Flow at Pickering, Final Report to Defra of FCERM Multi-objective Flood Management Demonstration Project RMP5455: Phase II

Ambrose-Oji, B., Valatin, G., Stewart, A., Sarajevs, V. and Handley, P.(2012). Evaluation of the Better Woodlands for Wales Grant Scheme. Report to Forestry Commission Wales, Forest Research, Edinburgh.

Nisbet, T., Marrington, S., Thomas, H., Broadmeadow, S. and Valatin, G. (2011). Slowing the Flow at Pickering. Final Report to Defra of FCERM Multi-objective Flood Management Demonstration Project RMP5455.

Valatin, G. and Starling, J. (2011). Valuation of ecosystem services provided by UK Woodlands, appendix to chapter 22 of UK National Ecosystem Assessment, UNEP-WCMC/Defra, London.

Hutchings, T., et al. 2010. Benefits of Green Infrastructure. Report to Defra and CLG. Forest Research. Farnham

Valatin, G. (n.d.) Cost-effectiveness of Agroforestry options for NH3 Abatement as Climate Change Mitigation measure. Section 5.2 in Bealey, W., Braban, C., Theobald, M., Famulari, D., Tang, Y., Wheat, A., Grigorova, E., Leeson, S., Twigg, M., Dragosits, U., Dore, A., Sutton, M., Nemitz, E., Loubet, B., Robertson, A., Quinn, A., Williams, A., Sandars, D., Valatin, G., Perks, M., and Watterson D. Agroforestry Systems for Ammonia Abatement. Report AC0201 for Defra, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Edinburgh.

Presentations

Valatin, G. 2017. Woodlands & the Carbon-Water Policy Nexus: A UK perspective. Invited seminar, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan, 12th January.

Valatin, G. 2016. Behavioural Policy Nudges to encourage woodland creation for Climate Change Mitigation in the UK. Invited presentation, Vth Forest Ecosystem Services Forum, Wellington, New Zealand, 24th May.

Valatin, G., Moseley, D. and Dandy, N. 2015. Insights from Behavioural Economics for forest economics: potential policy nudges to encourage woodland creation for climate change mitigation and adaptation? IUFRO workshop on New Frontiers of Forest Economics, Peking University, Beijing, China, August 17th-23rd.

Valatin, G. 2015. The ‘Slowing the Flow’ project: flood risk reduction & ecosystem services of upland forests. Invited presentation, SENSFOR COST Action, James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, Oct 9th.

Bedru, B. and Valatin, G. 2014. Green accounting as an alternative measure to GDP – international experiences and challenges ahead. ESCOM Scotland Conference, 1st May.

Moseley, D., Nijnik, M., Miller, D., Valatin, G., Edwards, D. and Nijnik, A. 2014. How people make decisions and value ecosystem services: tools to develop and direct policy for woodland expansion. ESCOM Scotland Conference, 1st May.

Nijnik, M., Edwards, D. and Valatin, G. 2014. Exploring climate regulatory forest services from a social science perspective. ESCOM Scotland Conference, 1st May.

Valatin, G. 2014. Insights from Behavioural Economics for Global Sustainability. A Community on Ecosystem Services (ACES) Conference, Washington DC, USA, Dec.

Valatin, G. 2013. Incentives for Climate Change Mitigation by the Forest Sector: A UK perspective. Low Carbon Summit, Xi’an, China, https://vimeo.com/77774460, Sept.

Valatin, G. 2012. Discussion of ‘ECOSEL’ paper (Multi-Objective Optimization to Sell Forest Ecosystem Services). IUFRO workshop on New Frontiers of Forest Economics, Zurich, Switzerland, June.

Valatin, G. 2012. Woodland carbon & Incentives for Climate Change Mitigation by the UK Forest Sector. Invited presentation, EFI workshop, Nancy, France, May.

Valatin, G. 2011. Carbon Sequestration, Ecosystem Services & Incentives for Climate Change Mitigation by the UK Forest Sector. Ecosystem Services Partnership, Wageningen, the Netherlands, Oct.

Valatin, G. 2010. Ecosystem Services & PES schemes. Invited presentation, Institute of Chartered Foresters, Regional meeting, Staffordshire, 10th Nov.

Posters

Saraev, V., Peace, A. Valatin, G. and Quine, C. 2017. Biodiversity and stand age: modelling an ecosystem service impact on optimal rotation length, ENVECON conference, Royal Society, London, 3rd March.

Valatin, G. 2013. Cost-effectiveness of forestry for climate change mitigation, CONFOR Annual Conference, Glasgow, April.

Valatin, G. 2013. Payments for Ecosystem Services, CONFOR Annual Conference, Glasgow, April.

Web pages

Payments for ecosystem services

Review of approaches to carbon valuation, discounting and risk management

Marginal abatement cost curves (MACCs) for UK forestry

Payments for Ecosystem Services (Forests for water)