Topic: ecosystem services

During the winter holidays, there are many items that Americans consider “essential” as part of a proper celebration; whether it be a wreath on the door, wood for a cozy fire, or an ornamented tree in the living room. But how many people know where most of these items come from?

Ecosystem services provide the link between nature and economic development. How can this approach guide more sustainable decisions?

As a result of rapid development over the last 40 years, the vast majority of land in the southern U.S. has been in some way impacted by humans.

With the price of timber declining, hundreds of thousands of private woodland owners across the South are struggling with balance sheets in the red.

Last week at the UN Convention on Biodiversity, the World Bank launched a new program that aims to put a value on a country’s ecosystems in the same way a country measures its national income and product accounts, or GNP and GDP.

To celebrate biodiversity, look no further than the forests of the Southern United States.

To regain momentum on the MDGs, we must recognize the role of healthy ecosystems in successful development.

Leading companies are learning the value of ecosystems services, to the environment and to the bottom line.

The BP oil spill will degrade critical ecosystem services and their economic benefits for decades to come.