OPERAs researchers Mark Koetse, Willem Verhagen and Peter Verburg (VU University Amsterdam) recently contributed to a book on ‘Ecosystem Services: From Concept to Practice’ (Bouma & Van  Beukering, Eds; Cambridge University Press): “Drawing on a range of interdisciplinary perspectives, this volume takes up the challenge to provide a framework for the effective implementation of simple concepts into complex ecosystem-related decision-making. Addressing the measurement, valuation and governance of ecosystem services, the book is specifically designed to guide students and policy-makers from definitions and measurements to applications in terms of policy instruments and governance arrangements.”

Specific contributions:

Chapter 4: “Mapping ecosystem services”, by Willem Verhagen, Peter H. Verburg, Nynke Schulp, and Julia Stürck

Chapter 5: “Economic values of ecosystem services, by Pieter J.H. van Beukering, Roy Brouwer, and Mark J. Koetse

Chapter 6: “Economic valuation methods for ecosystem services”, by Mark J. Koetse, Roy Brouwer, and Pieter J. H. van Beukering

"The challenge of incorporating ecosystem services into decision-making is inherently interdisciplinary, which in turns requires that everyone involved or interested in addressing this challenge needs to understand the principles of each discipline concerned. This excellent collection of essays had been carefully crafted to introduce the reader to all aspects of an ecosystem services approach to decision making; from natural science, through the social sciences and on to governance. Each chapter is highly accessible while the whole builds to provide a coherent introduction to the range of necessary issues, yielding a collection which will be of great value to the student, teacher and practitioner."

Review by Ian Bateman, University of East Anglia, UK