Tools for measuring, modelling, and valuing ecosystem services: guidance for key biodiversity areas, natural world heritage sites, and protected areas

Increasing interest in measuring, modelling and valuing
ecosystem services (ES), the benefits that ecosystems provide
to people, has resulted in the development of an array of ES
assessment tools in recent years. Selecting an appropriate
tool for measuring and modelling ES can be challenging. This
document provides guidance for practitioners on existing
tools that can be applied to measure or model ES provided
by important sites for biodiversity and nature conservation,
including Key Biodiversity Areas, natural World Heritage
sites, and protected areas. This guidance builds on existing
reviews of ES assessment tools, but has an explicit focus on
assessing ES for sites of importance for biodiversity and nature
conservation.
Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are sites contributing significantly
to the global persistence of biodiversity. Natural World Heritage
sites (WHS) are natural features, formations and areas
which, because of their exceptional qualities, are considered
to be of ‘Outstanding Universal Value’ and therefore merit
special protection. Protected areas (PAs) are clearly defined
geographical spaces, recognised, dedicated and managed
through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term
conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and
cultural values.