The two main public good issues identified by regional level stakeholders for the Ugie area are water quality and biodiversity. The relatively intensive agricultural production characterising the area is seen to influence both water quality and biodiversity negatively, though it is at the same time seen as something that contributes to other public goods in the form of food security, employment and rural vitality, as well as providing private goods in the form of income. In the case of water, the main problems are linked to the use of molluscicides (‘slug pellets’) as part of the area’s vegetable production, as well as farm yard run-off. This is seen as especially problematic because the river Ugie is used for drinking water abstraction. Consequently, the water has to be treated using expensive water treatment technologies before it can be safely used for human consumption. Other water related problems include riverbank erosion and reduced levels of aquatic biodiversity. Terrestrial biodiversity is impacted through loss of habitat as well as through some agricultural practices such as pesticide usage.

We carried out choice experiments with members of the public living in and around the Ugie river catchment (Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen city) to understand peoples preferences with regards to improvements in water condition and farmland biodiversity. Read more…

The study uses a participatory fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) approach, in order to analyse the interplay of a mix of mechanisms and other influencing factors on the provision of the public goods water quality and biodiversity. Read more…