• Describe the diversity of living organisms involved in the provision of ecosystem services;
• Identify the challenges of measuring ecological functions associated with biological populations and communities in real world systems;
• Describe the relationship between ecosystem functions and services, and illustrate the dependence of this relationship on its political, social, and economic context;
• Summarize common methods of valuation and evaluate the advantages and limitations of various approaches, with their influence on the processes of law, policy, business, academia, et al;
• Assess the performance of specific programs, policies and institutions in the management of ecosystem services - specifically in terms of efficiency (economic and ecological); equity (social, environmental and political); and sustainability (financial, political and environmental); and
• Identify the underlying assumptions and validity of interdisciplinary approaches that incorporate the value of ecosystem services into natural resource management.

The impacts of global climate change are resounding. As a result, societies around the globe face perplexing questions about how to manage our natural systems in ways that best support rapidly expanding human needs. For example:
 

• How do we minimize the ecological footprint of growing urban areas?
• How do we quantify the ecosystem services provided by an intact versus a degraded ecosystem?
• How do political systems support the management of their ecosystem services?
• How do we spatially target rural and urban conservation areas to sustain critical ecosystem services for rapidly urbanizing regions?
• How do we assure access to the full set of nature’s benefits for the next generations to come?
• How can expanding urban areas cope with the dual pressures of climate change and water stress?
• How do we account for all ecological, social and economic values of ecosystems?
• What types of incentives and regulation will secure public acceptance of the measures necessary to protect critical ecosystem services?
• What novel social institutions can effectively engage relevant stakeholders in ecosystem service management?

These demanding questions require interdisciplinary approaches and the engagement of community partners to mold solutions and to adaptively manage new issues. The ecosystem services framework - with ecological, social and economic dimensions - offers a holistic conceptual model to understand the science and find effective adaptive management for whole ecological systems. ‘Ecosystem Services – The Managed Environment’ will expose students to the strengths and weaknesses of managing the environment. With its growing analysis of ecosystem processes as a function of ecological systems, as well as the growing literature interpreting the monetary value placed on ecosystem services, the development of market-based schemes as a means of conservation has been quick to develop (Daily and Matson, 2008; Jack et al., 2008). This course introduces students to the ecological, economic and social/ethical issues involved in the study of ecosystem services, with a major focus on international management and economics components involved in ecosystem services. Practitioners of this initiative will require drawing on innovations in business, economics, law, and governance. Accordingly, this course is intended for diverse students and will focus on teamwork, learning from peers, and integrating across disciplines to analyze real-world cases.

Changes in course schedule may occur.
Monday 11.40-13.30, week 36-41, 43-47.

Bayon, R. (2004). Making Environmental Markets Work: Lessons from Early Experience with Sulfur, Carbon, Wetlands, and Other Related Markets. Washington, DC, Forest Trends: 27. http://www.earthscape.org/p1/ES16905/Environmental_Markets.pdf

Boyd, D. R. (2003). Unnatural Law: Rethinking Canadian Environmental Law and Policy. Vancouver, BC, UBC Press. www.unnaturallaw.com

Boyd, J. and L. Wainger (2002). "Landscape indicators of ecosystem service benefits." American Journal of Agricultural Economics 84(5): 1371-1378. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-8276.00404

Camino, R. d., O. Segura, L. G. Arias and I. Pérez (2000). Costa Rica: Forest Strategy and the Evolution of Land Use. Washington, DC, The World Bank: 151. http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/oed/oeddoclib.nsf/DocUNIDViewForJavaSearch/A25EFCF3220878D585256970007AC9EE

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis. Washington, DC, Island Press. http://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/Products.aspx