Assessing property for the endangered species it saves or wetlands it preserves could pay off for some landowners, says a California-based firm researching ecosystem markets. According to the firm’s latest case study, sale price tripled for a property in San Benito County, California once it considered eco-asset market values.

The ESAforD program, led by the Swedish EPA and collaborating with WAVES, is looking at natural water purification, pollination, and urban green open spaces.

Between 1997 and 2011, the global value of ecosystem services declined by up to US$20 trillion per year as a result of changing land use. Some latest research shows that, in the Asia-Pacific region, this downward trend is likely to continue unless there are significant policy changes.