Notes from the field: Lessons learned from using ecosystem service approaches to inform real-world decisions

Mary Ruckelshaus, Emily McKenzie, Heather Tallis, Anne Guerry, Gretchen Daily, Peter Kareiva, Stephen Polasky, Taylor Ricketts, Nirmal Bhagabati, Spencer A. Wood and Joanna Bernhardt

Ecological Economics, 2015, vol. 115, issue C, 11-21

Abstract: While there have been rapid advances in assessments of biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES), a critical remaining challenge is how to move from scientific knowledge to real-world decision making. We offer 6 lessons from our experiences applying new approaches and tools for quantifying BES in 20 pilot demonstrations: (1) Applying a BES approach is most effective in leading to policy change as part of an iterative science-policy process; (2) simple ecological production function models have been useful in a diverse set of decision contexts, across a broad range of biophysical, social, and governance systems. Key limitations of simple models arise at very small scales, and in predicting specific future BES values; (3) training local experts in the approaches and tools is important for building local capacity, ownership, trust, and long-term success; (4) decision makers and stakeholders prefer to use a variety of BES value metrics, not only monetary values; (5) an important science gap exists in linking changes in BES to changes in livelihoods, health, cultural values, and other metrics of human wellbeing; and (6) communicating uncertainty in useful and transparent ways remains challenging.

Keywords: Ecosystem services; Human development and conservation; Spatial planning; PES; Decision support (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (110)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:115:y:2015:i:c:p:11-21

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2013.07.009

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