The Legislative Assembly finds that:

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(1) Maintaining sustainable rural and urban landscapes is important for the quality of life of all Oregonians. Sustainable forestry, agriculture and ranching practices can help to maintain and restore the vitality of Oregon’s communities while also helping to preserve Oregon’s natural landscapes and ecosystems. It is necessary to assist landowners in gaining access to additional sources of revenue such as emerging ecosystem services markets and to help landowners diversify their incomes, improve the ecological functions of their lands and pass along their lands and the lands’ associated benefits to future generations.

(2) Employment and economic opportunities are important to Oregonians in order to maintain a high quality of life and prosperity. A scarcity of land that is available for development is a significant limiting factor in some regions of Oregon. Oregon needs a system that will provide assurances that development will occur in suitable locations so that ecological values will be maintained and improve.

(3) Many different local, state and federal agencies and the private sector have obligations to protect natural resources, to regulate the use of natural resources and to promote economic development while also minimizing adverse impacts to natural resources. However, these efforts are generally fragmented and uncoordinated and often work at cross-purposes.

(4) Oregon’s natural resources, and the ways these natural resources are used, are important to Oregonians. These natural resources include native flora and fauna. These natural resources provide food and shelter, flood control, water filtration, clean air, fish and wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, aesthetic benefits, jobs and a high quality of life for all Oregonians. Science has demonstrated the importance of these natural resources to our daily lives. The adverse impacts of climate change may stress some natural resources to the point that they no longer provide ecosystem services. It is necessary to improve the overall health of our natural resources in order to maintain these resources for present and future generations.

(5) The conservation and restoration of ecosystem services will help avoid carbon emissions, help address impacts associated with climate change and help natural resources adapt to these impacts. New or improved regulatory schemes and increased public awareness will make additional natural resources available to protect and enhance ecosystem services. Oregon has the opportunity to become a leader in developing and improving the ecological effectiveness and economic viability of payments for ecosystem services.

(6) Given appropriate oversight, ecosystem services markets can save money, lead to more efficient, innovative and effective restoration actions than pure regulatory approaches and facilitate improved integration of public and private investment. [2009 c.808 § 3]

See note under 468.581.