The seminar series goals were to:
- Establish a learning platform for practitioners interested in understanding how the ES concept works and how it is used
- Develop a new series with novel analyses and information to advance the ES field
- Identify potential tools for planning conservation interventions and implementing workable solutions to conservation problems
- Explore the economic, social, and ecological components of ES in order to create more durable conservation outcomes
Turning Theory into Action
This 7-seminar series convened an exceptional group of world-class speakers from leading institutions and organizations to provide participants with a holistic view of ES. Through its consideration of topics ranging from the theoretical roots of ecosystem services, to existing policy and management tools that incorporate the concept, to its applications for improved resource management decision-making, the series aimed to catalyze the uptake of this new paradigm among the conservation community.
The GBMF Environmental Conservation Program's goal is "to change the ways in which people use terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal marine ecosystems to conserve critical ecological systems and functions, while allowing sustainable use."
"Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems. These include provisioning services such as food, water, timber, and fiber; regulating services that affect climate, floods, disease, wastes, and water quality; cultural services that provide recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits; and supporting services such as soil formation, photosynthesis, and nutrient cycling" (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005).
2011 Ecosystem Services Seminar Series
Download the full Seminar Series as a PDF here (28.7MB) or click on the links below to view articles and presentations.
If you have trouble viewing any of the files, click to download the free Adobe Reader.
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SEMINAR 1
Background and History:
Ecosystem ServicesBarton H. "Buzz" Thompson, Jr.
Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University -
SEMINAR 2
Theory of Ecosystem Services
Dr. Stephen Polasky
University of Minnesota -
SEMINAR 3
Valuation of Ecosystem Services
Dr. James Boyd
Resources for the Future -
SEMINAR 4
Policy and Management Tools
for Ecosystem ServicesPavan Sukhdev
GIST Advisory and United Nations Environmental Programme's Green Economy Initiative (formerly) -
SEMINAR 5
Ecosystem Services in Practice: Market- Based Ecosystem Services - From Theory to Application
Adam Davis, Solano Partners, Inc.
Ricardo Bayon, EKO Asset Management Partners
David Batker, Earth Economics
Dr. Ben Guillon, WRA Environmental Consultants and New Forests (formerly) -
SEMINAR 6
Ecosystem Services in Practice: Management Decisions in the Public Sector - From Theory to Application
Heather Wright, GBMF
Dr. Mary Ruckelshaus, Natural Capital Project
Dr. Lydia Olander, Duke University
Dr. Carl Shapiro, U.S. Geological Survey -
SEMINAR 7
Ecosystem Services: Forecasting and Next Steps
Janet Ranganathan
World Resources Institute
