Ecological Economists Like Valerie Would See a Gift Economy

Ecological economists ask how we might build economic systems that meet citizens' needs while aligning with ecological principles. This is quite distinct from environmental economics, which tallies up the costs and trade-offs of choosing to wreck or to restore ecosystems. I wonder whether an economist like Valerie would see a gift economy in the service berry's distribution of goods and services. If natural systems could be understood as analogs to economic systems, could we engage in a kind of economic biomimicry?