| Environmental accounting is a method of accounting for changes on the natural capital base. Based on principles of traditional accounting systems, it incorporates environmental effects and their effects on productivity to produce indicators that reflect a sustainable picture of the value of the natural capital.;The objective of this study is to develop a set of environmental accounts to monitor changes in soil quality and productivity. The accounts will be developed for an individual producers and therefore farm specific. The accounts will be able to provide producers with a means of evaluating the effects of changes in management decisions (crop selection, chemical applications, tillage systems, etc.) on the soil base and its inherent productivity.;The construction of the accounts will be in physical units and based on the cycling of nutrients in the soil. A set of accounts and statements will be presented for nitrogen and phosphorous. A step-by-step guide will be presented on how to use the accounts and general quantitative estimation will be provided to indicate the relative levels of the process at work.;Analysis of the accounts and their net results will done in qualitative terms by use of a framework guide for evaluation that links economic-management decisions-crop productivity and environmental concerns. |
