Developing Markets for the Ecosystem Services of Forests
By Ian Powell, Andy White, and Natasha Landell-Mills - Forest Trends, Forest Trends View PublicationAs human demands increase and natural resources become scarcer, those who bear the costs of degradation – such as downstream water utilities, local governments, private insurers and society as a whole – are exploring opportunities to reduce costs by financing forest conservation. At the same time, some forest owners are seeking compensation for the costs of maintaining healthy forests. Interest in reducing costs, increasing incomes and expanding conservation is moving markets for ecosystem services toward center stage in the debate about forest conservation.