Validating Woodland Water Code (WWC) metrics and methodologies
Author(s): Gregory Valatin, Tom Nisbet, Romany Vassell, Robert Hattersley
Gregory Valatin
MA, MPhil, PhD
Gregory Valatin
MA, MPhil, PhDPrincipal Economist
Climate change
Alice Holt, Alice Holt Lodge, Wrecclesham, Farnham, Surrey
About Gregory Valatin
Gregory Valatin has over 30 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.
What Gregory does
Gregory Valatin co-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 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 generated wide interest, with participants from 40 countries and several international organisations.
Affiliations
- Former member of the Ecosystem Services Partnership
- Former supervisor of a PhD on payments for ecosystem services at Southampton University
Research
Economics of Woodland Creation in England
Author(s): Gregory Valatin, Vadim Saraev, Robert Hattersley, Wen Hao Low, Eleanor Gardner, Romain Thurin
Designing and developing a Woodland Water Code (WWC)
Author(s): Tom Nisbet, Gregory Valatin, Romany Vassell, Robert Hattersley, Rosie Brook
Green Finance in the Context of UK’s Trees, Woods, and Forests
Author(s): Wen Hao Low, Gregory Valatin
Payments for Ecosystem Services (Forests for water)
Author(s): Gregory Valatin
Valuing Non-Woodland Trees
Author(s): Kieron Doick, Gregory Valatin, Vadim Saraev, Madalena Vaz Monteiro, Hannah Walker
Valuation of Welsh Forest Resources
Author(s): Gregory Valatin
Harvested Wood Products and Carbon Substitution
Author(s): Gregory Valatin
Publications
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'.
Lead Author: Romany Vassell
In Brief: Green Finance in the Context of Trees, Woods and Forests
The concept of green finance has been growing in importance in recent years. Recent research shows that to meet UK…
Lead Author: Wen Hao Low
Carbon storage and substitution benefits of harvested wood products
Wood products provide significant climate change mitigation benefits. These include carbon storage in wood products and carbon substitution benefits associated…
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…
Lead Author: Darren Moseley
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…
Lead Author: Darren Moseley
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…
Lead Author: Gregory Valatin
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…
Lead Author: Gregory Valatin
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…
Lead Author: Gregory Valatin
Other Research
- Role: Chair
- Gregory led this 4-year COST Action that ran from Oct 2016 – May 2021, including chairing meetings.
- Roles: Work Package and Work Areas leader
- Gregory leads WP5 (on payments for ecosystem services markets under the ‘Markets for forest products and services’ programme) and co-leads WP1 (on valuing and promoting the benefits from trees, woods and forests under the ‘Achieving multiple ecosystem benefits’ programme), participating in meetings and reporting on progress.
Other Publications
Peer reviewed papers
Valatin, G., Ovando, P., Abildtrup, J., Accastello, C., Andreucci, M.B., Chikalanov, A., El Mokaddem, A., Garcia, S., Gonzalez-Sanchis, M., Gordillo, F., Kayacan, B., Little, D., Lyubenova, M., Nisbet, T., Paletto, A., Petucco, C., Termansen, M., Vasylyshyn, K., Vedel, S.E., and Yousefpour R. (2022). Approaches to cost-effectiveness of payments for tree planting and forest management for water quality services. Ecosystem Services, Volume 53, 101373, ISSN 2212-0416.
Valatin, G., Price, C., and Green,, S. (2022). Reducing disease risks to British forests: an exploration of costs and benefits of nursery best practices. Forestry 95(4) 1-15.
Green,, S., Cooke, D., Dunn, M., Barwell, L., Purse, B., Chapman, D., Valatin, G., Schlenzig, A., Barbrook, J., Pettitt, T., Price, C., Pérez-Sierra, A., Frederickson-Matika, D., Pritchard, L., Thorpe, P., Cock, P., Randall, E., Keillor, B., and Marzano, M. (2021). PHYTO-THREATS: Addressing Threats to UK Forests and Woodlands from Phytophthora; Identifying Risks of Spread in Trade and Methods for Mitigation. Forests, 12, 1617.
Saraev, V., Valatin, G., Peace, A. and Quine, C. (2019). How does a biodiversity value impact upon optimal rotation length? An investigation using species richness and forest stand age. Forest Policy and Economics, 10, 1-11.
Davies, H., Doick, K., Hudson, M., Schaafsma, M., Schreckenberg, K. and Valatin, G. (2018). Business attitudes towards funding ecosystem services provided by urban forests. Ecosystem Services, 32(B), 159-169.
Valatin, G., Abildtrup, J., Accastello, C., Al-Tawaha, A., Andreucci, M., Atanasova, S., Avdibegović, M., Baksic, N., Banasik, K., Barquin, J., Barstad, J., Bastakova, V., Becirovic, D., Begueria, S., Bethers, U., Bihunova, M., Blagojevic, B., Bösch, M., Bournaris, T., Cao, Y., Carvalho-Santos, C., Chikalanov, A., Cunha e Sá, M., Czyżyk, K., Daly, H., Davies, H., Del Campo, A., Groot, R., De Vreese, R., Dostál, T., El Mokaddem, A., Finér, L., Evans, R., Fiquepron, J., Frac, M., Futter, M., Garcia, S., Gatto, P., Geneletti, D., Gezik, V., Giupponi, C., González-Sanchís, M., Gordillo, F., Gorriz, E., Grigorova, Y., Heinsoo, K., Hochbichler, E., Högbom, L., Image, M., Jacobsen, J., Japelj, A., Jelic, S., Junk, J., Juhasz, C., Kagalou, I., Kelly-Quinn, M., Klamerus-Iwan, A., Kluvankova, T., Koeck, R., Konovska, I., Ostoic, S., Krc, J., Lavnyy, V., Leonardi, A., Libiete, Z., Little, D., Lo Porto, A., Loukas, A., Lyubenova, M., Maric, B., Martínez-López, J., Martinez, I., Maxim, A., Metslaid, M., Melvin, A., Costică, M., Mincev, I., Morkvenas, Z., Nevenic, R., Nisbet, T., O’hUallachain, D., Olschewski, R., Östberg, J., Oszust, K., Ovando, P., Paletto, A., Parpan, T., Pettenella, D., Malovrh, Š., Planinšek, Š., Podlipná, R., Posavec, S., Potočki, K., Prokofieva, I., Quinteiro, P., Radocz, L., Ristic, R., Robert, N., Rugani, B., Sabanovic, J., Sarvasova, Z., Savoska, S., Schleppi, P., Schueler, G., Shannon, M., Silgram, M., Srdjevic, B., Stefan, G., Stijovic, A., Strange, N., Tattari, S., Teofilovski, A., Termansen, M., Thorsen, B., Toth, A., Trebs, I., Tmušić, N., Vasiliades, L., Vedel, S., Ventrubová, K., Vuletic, D., Winkel, G., Yao, R., Young, S., Yousefpour, R., Zahvoyska, L., Zhang, D., Zhou, J., Žižková, E. (2017). PESFOR-W: Improving the design and environmental effectiveness of woodlands for water Payments for Ecosystem Services. Research Ideas and Outcomes 3: e13828.
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
Nisbet, T., Andreucci M.-B., De Vrees, R., Hogbom, L., Kay, S., Kelly-Quinn, M., Leonardi, A., Lyubenova, M., Ovando Pol, P., Quinteiro, P., Perez-Silos, L., and Valatin, G. (2022). Forest green infrastructure to protect water quality. In Nakamura, F. (ed) Green Infrastructure and Climate Change Adaptation: Function, Implementation and Governance, Springer Nature, 105-131.
Valatin, G. (2022). Forest green infrastructure and the carbon storage and substitution benefits of harvested wood products. In Nakamura, F. (ed) Green Infrastructure and Climate Change Adaptation: Function, Implementation and Governance, Springer Nature, 443-456.
Nisbet, T., Andreucci M.-B., De Vrees, R., Hogbom, L., Kay, S., Kelly-Quinn, M., Leonardi, A., Lyubenova, M., Ovando Pol, P., Quinteiro, P., Perez-Silos, L., and Valatin, G. (2021). Forests for Water Services: A Step-by-Step Guide for Payment Schemes. PESFORW COST Action Manual, COST Association, Brussels.
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
Low, W.H., Gardner, E., Kadam, N., Saraev, V and Valatin, G. (2024). Opportunity Costs of Woodland Creation in England: A review of data sources and evidence. Forest Research.
Hattersley, R., Valatin, G. and Saraev, V. (2024). Timber prices and elasticities for emerging species and different product categories: An evidence review. Research Report, Forest Research.
Broadmeadow, S., Nisbet, T., Valatin, G., Blyth, E., Robinson, E., Fitch, A., and Jones, L. (2023). Revised valuation of flood regulation services of existing forest cover to inform natural capital accounts. Forest Research. Farnham.
Low, W.H., Valatin, G. and Saraev, V. (2023). Green Finance in the context of Trees, Woods, and Forests. Forest Research. Farnham.
Saraev, V., O’ Brien, L., Valatin, G., and Bursnell, M. (2021). Valuing Mental Health Benefits of Forests. Research Report, Forest Research. Farnham.
Valatin, G. (2019). Comparing the cost-effectiveness of forestry options for climate change mitigation. Research Note, Forest Research. Farnham.
Broadmeadow, S., Thomas, H., Nisbet, T. and Valatin, G. (2019). Valuing flood regulation services of existing forest cover to inform natural capital accounts. Forest Research. Farnham.
Saraev, V. and Valatin, G. (2017). Timber, carbon and wind risk: towards an integrated model of optimal rotation length. Research Report, Forest Research. Farnham.
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. 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
Doick, K., Valatin, G., Saraev, V., Van Monteiro, M. and Walker, H. (2021). Valuing Non-Woodland Trees. Report to Defra. Forest Research. Farnham.
Saraev, V., O’ Brien, L., Valatin, G., Atkinson, M. and Bursnell, M. (2020). Scoping Study on Valuing Mental Health Benefits of Forests. Report to Welsh Government. Forest Research. Farnham.
Valatin, G. and Saraev, V. (2012). Natural Environment Framework: Woodland Creation case study. Report to Welsh Government. Forest Research. Farnham.
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. (2025). Economics of Woodland Creation (ETPP-29). Britain’s Forest Future: Research Practice Exchange, Durham, 17th Nov.
Valatin, G. (2025). Potential for Policy ‘Nudges’ in forestry: a UK perspective. ForestAgriGreenNudge Conference, Brussels, 21st May.
Valatin, G., Nisbet, T., Brook, R. and Vassell, R. (2024). Towards a Woodland Water Code: encouraging Tree Planting for Water Quality, Flood Risk attenuation and Water Cooling and associated Climate Change mitigation and adaptation benefits – a UK perspective, IUFRO World Congress, Sweden, July.
Valatin, G., Nisbet, T., Brook, R. and Vassell, R. (2023). Encouraging woodland creation for water benefits: Towards a UK Woodland Water Code to encourage Nature-based solutions & Climate change mitigation, 9th International Conference on Water Resource and Environment, Japan, Nov.
Valatin, G. (2023). Forest-related Payments for Ecosystem Services: a UK perspective. Keio University, Japan, 11th May.
Valatin, G. and Nisbet, T. (2022). Encouraging tree planting for Carbon and Water Benefits: a UK perspective, IUFRO Small-scale Forestry International Conference, Japan, 26th Oct.
Valatin, G., Nisbet, T., Sarvasova, Z., Högbom, L., De Vreese, R., Gatto, P., and Cao, Y. (2021). Woodlands for water quality Payments for Ecosystem Services: findings of the PESFOR-W COST Action, 3rd Ecosystem Services Partnership Europe Conference, Estonia, June.
Valatin, G. (2020). Woodlands for Water Payments for Ecosystem Services. Forest Ecosystem Services Forum, New Zealand (online).
Valatin, G., Nisbet, T., Sarvasova, Z., Högbom, L., De Vreese, R., Gatto, P., and Cao, Y. (2019). Assessing the environmental effectiveness, design and governance, and cost-effectiveness of Woodlands for water Payments for Ecosystem Services schemes: activities, findings & ambitions of the PESFOR-W COST Action, IUFRO World Congress, Brazil, Oct.
Valatin, G., Nisbet, T., Sarvasova, Z., Högbom, L., De Vreese, R., Gatto, P., and Cao, Y. (2018). Woodlands for water Payments for Ecosystem Services: an overview of initial findings, activities and ambitions of the PESFOR-W COST Action, Ecosystem Services Partnership Regional Conference, Spain, 16th Oct.
Valatin, G. (2018). Cost-effectiveness of woodland measures to improve water quality: aspirations, activities and initial findings of the PESFOR-W COST Action, PROLINE-CE & CAMERO-D Conference, Slovenia, June.
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
Valatin, G. and Saraev, V. (2018). Estimating the value of natural capital for forests in Wales: falling values can reflect increasing environmental quality. UK Network of Environmental Economists Conference, London, March.
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