Research Symposium

BIO

Lydia Arrieta is from Panama City Beach, FL, and is currently a sophomore at FSU. She is studying environmental and biological sciences and hopes to attend graduate school to obtain a masters. She became involved in undergraduate research through UROP, working for FREAC under Dr. Georgianna Strode. She hopes to expand her research experiences to fire ecology and marine ecology. Lydia would like to work in the field of ecology after graduating.

St. Andrews and St. Joseph Bay Estuary Program Economic Valuation

Abstract

The St. Andrew Bay Watershed covers 1,156 miles in North Florida’s central panhandle. The watershed encapsulates both St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bay. Florida State University’s (FSU) Center for Economic Forecasting (CEFA) in conjunction with FSU’s Florida Resources and Environmental Analysis Center (FREAC) are studying the economic value and impact of the St. Andrews and St. Joseph Bay Estuary on the surrounding counties. The organizations are using Geographical Information Systems (GIS), coding languages, and economic formulations to evaluate the economic impact/benefits of the estuary. Data is being pulled into these systems from Florida Department of Revenue (FDOR) and the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM). The results thus far are tentative, but include business sales, property values, and annual carbon sequestration. The trees supported by the estuary provide invaluable ecological services. The proximity to the estuary, referred to as “bayview,” correlates to a difference in property prices. Based on the study, the estuary provides many economic and ecological benefits.

Keywords: GIS, economics, estuary, environment, impact study