Land Stewardship Centre is a partner in the EcoServices Network - a multidisciplinary group of experts working to build the knowledge and capacity in support of conservation markets in Alberta. The coordinated efforts of the Network support a system for information sharing and collaboration across sector boundaries.
Environment Meets Economics
Ecosystem services (or ES) are the benefits that humans receive from nature including provisioning (e.g., food, fuel, fibre, fresh water), regulating (e.g. air quality, climate regulation, erosion control, water quality), cultural (e.g. spiritual enrichment, recreation, aesthetic experiences) and supporting services (e.g. production of oxygen, soil formation).
Conservation markets are markets in which transactions involving ecosystem services take place with the goal of improving or maintaining environmental quality or minimizing environmental degradation. Market approaches to restoring and enhancing ecosystem services have been shown to cause positive changes in land-use management and bring a number of benefits to individuals, businesses and communities.