Assessing and Valuing Ecosystem Services

Dear Colleagues, 

The concept of ecosystem services (ES) has gained global attention both in scientific studies and in policy-makers’ agenda after the publication of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) in 2005. In line with the MEA, the assessment of ES has become of crucial importance for the effective integration between conservation and development policies, and for the implementation of green accounting at local, national, and regional level.

There are multiple ways and tools to measure ES. ES assessment can be performed using biophysical, social or economic (market or non-market) methods. Each method provides a different set of answers and is, at the same time, complementary to the others. Biophysical assessment, for instance, helps to understand the functioning of an ecosystem and importance of different species, habitats, and types of land cover in supplying ecosystem services. Economic and social assessment, by contrast, reveals the direct benefits to society and thus can support decision making on certain land use projects that have an impact on different stakeholders and groups. Translating benefits of ES into monetary terms creates a compelling incentive for local communities, businesses, and decision- and policy-makers to preserve the natural capital and wellbeing for current and future generations.

With this Special Issue, we want to promote an updated picture of the current state of ecosystems services’ assessment, covering all—provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural—categories of services provided by natural and seminatural (agricultural) capital.

We encourage the submission of studies from all scientific fields embracing any assessment tools, theoretical and methodological contributions, reviews and case studies from different regions of the world, to promote advancement of scientific knowledge on ES and awareness of information.

Prof. Dr. Sandra Notaro
Prof. Dr. Maria De Salvo
Guest Editors

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