Describing Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem services are defined as the benefits that nature provides humans. This concept allows us to identify and consider the full range of benefits provided by different landscapes when making decisions and also prompts us to think beyond the immediate pressures or challenges we are facing in a landscape to address not only current issues but also potential future issues, the risks they pose, and the opportunities they provide.
Ecosystem services are typically classified as provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services (see below).
