Blog

Why an Ecosystem Services Approach is Important for Businesses

The concepts of ecosystem services and conservation markets are becoming more and more popular among the private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGO). Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) is a great example of an NGO working with farmers to produce ecosystem services by paying for best management practices. Businesses are starting to understand how balancing economic with environmental objectives and can be beneficial not only for the environment that they depend upon, but for the new business opportunities it can open up.

Network Partner Spotlight: Alberta Land Institute

The Alberta Land Institute (ALI) is an independent research institute founded at the University of Alberta. The institute promotes research to inform public debate and decision-making in the province of Alberta, ultimately helping Alberta make better land use decisions.

Engaging Indigenous Communities in the Conservation Market Conversation

The EcoServices Network has been working with our partners to better understand the opportunity for Indigenous communities to benefit from conservation markets.

Natural Capital: The Importance of Putting a Price on Nature

For many people it can be difficult to understand the concept of putting a price on nature. In fact, many even considered it wrong to put a dollar value on something that it is inherently priceless.  But we are seeing a shift in this thinking as the concept of natural capital helps us to understand the valuation of the many benefits we receive from nature.

The Benefits of Green Infrastructure

Grey infrastructure continues to have its place in a community to ensure the good quality of drinking water and to manage the treatment of high volumes of water. However, we are beginning to see a shift to more-nature based solutions because of the multiple benefits they offer to a community. According to the Centre for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), “The ability of these practices to deliver multiple ecological, economic and social benefits or services has made green infrastructure an increasingly popular strategy in recent years.”