Journal article

Local actions for the common good: Can the application of the ecosystem services concept generate improved societal outcomes from natural resource management?

K Paudyal, H Baral, RJ Keenan

Land Use Policy | Published : 2016

Abstract

Nature provides a wide range of ecosystem services (ES) that are vital for human well-being and livelihoods. The supply of these services is being threatened by local and global pressures. Managing for the provision of ES can provide a range of benefits that, in economic terms, can be defined as, private, common or public goods. Inspired by the theme 'local action for the common good' of 7th Ecosystem Service Partnership conference held in Costa Rica, this paper examines the key issues in policy and management for production and management of ES in a way that meet the broader common good. The ES approach is not widely understood by policymakers, the general public and the private sector. Whi..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

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Funding Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank presenters and participants of the ESP conference held from 8 to 12 September 2014 in San Jose, Costa Rica for their contributions to the ideas in this paper. The authors also wish to thank Prof Kim Lowell, CRCSI, Australia, Laxmi Dutt Bhatta, ICIMOD Nepal and three anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and feedback to earlier versions of the manuscript. Thanks also go to the Department of Resource Management and Geography, the University of Melbourne for providing financial support for Kiran Paudyal to attend this conference.