This case study describes a practical experience of biodiversity valuation in the Czech Republic. The methodology for estimating environmental values of biotypes, originally developed in the Hesse federal state of Germany, was used and applied on three levels: local (Tlustec case study), regional (highway D8 project), and national (evaluation of biotopes of the Czech Republic). The Hesse methodology offers a scale of expert point values for all basic biotypes, and transfers point values into monetary terms by multiplying them by average national restoration costs necessary to sustain the environmental quality of the biotypes.
The study concludes that, compared to traditional methods based on willingness to pay (WTP) or willingness to accept compensation (WTA) concepts, the Hesse method overcomes the shortfalls of an individually based utilitarian approach and can be applied on both microeconomic and macroeconomic levels. By carrying out expert valuations by ecologists, it bridges over the traditional concept of economic value as reflection of the use, option, and existence values and starts to surpass into the concept of intrinsic value. Elements of intrinsic value can enter into the economic system if, in the political decision-making process, respective payments are approved and implemented.
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