Abstract

Sustaining functional ecosystems that provide services for human well-being is a global challenge. This makes valuing ecosystem services and managing them important to ensure benefits to the environment and livelihoods. Strides have been made in research and knowledge development, policy formulation and the implementation of natural resource management (NRM) programs and investment into ecological ( green) infrastructure globally. However, further funding is needed for such programs to be scaled up and adapted to local contexts. Horizon scanning is a useful approach to identify future trajectories, and to guide research, policy formulation and management implementation, as well as to identify gaps. Past achievements, gaps and future needs in relation to "optimising and unlocking investment in ecological infrastructure and valuing ecosystem services" were identified through a free listing questionnaire and a group workshopping exercise by 44 participants involved in an international workshop. The 10 key needs raised were all closely interlinked and fall under the overarching themes of research and assessment, policy formation and implementation, strategic planning as well as management and governance of the policy/adaptive management cycle. We discuss the need to overcome these gaps in the context of South Africa and in relation to other countries globally.

Keywords

Ecological (green) infrastructure; Environmental conservation; Collaborative planning; Sustainability; Social-ecological systems; Transdisciplinary; Policy; Review; South Africa; Natural resource management (NRM)

Published in

Ecosystem Services
2017, Volume: 27, pages: 232-241

SLU Authors

• Angelstam, Per

  • School for Forest Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Elbakidze, Marine

  • School for Forest Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
SDG3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
SDG9 Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation


UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2016.11.020

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/90114