Welcome to the official webpage of the Montenegrin ESP national network (MNE-ESP). If you would like to visit this network’s discussion board, please click here (members only).
Lead team
- Jeroen Arends, Environmental Expert SEEDEV
If you are interested in becoming a member of the lead team please contact the current lead team members.
If you are interested in becoming a member of this national network please click here.
Introduction & Objectives
ESP National Networks aim to improve decision making on ecosystem services by providing a platform for researchers, government, non-government, business, industry and communities to exchange information and experiences on the theoretical and practical application of ecosystem services at local to national scales.
The Montenegrin Ecosystem Services Partnership (MNE-ESP) is the Montenegrin national network (NN) of organizations and individuals dedicated to the advancement and application of the concept of ecosystem services in sustainable development in Montenegro. Ecosystem services (ES) are the goods and services provided by the structure and processes of ecosystems and natural areas, from which humans stand to benefit. As such, ES is anthropocentric but with a strong emphasis on biodiversity, conservation and sustainable development. Structures and processes of ecosystems provide certain functions -such as provisioning and regulating functions- which are the capacity or natural stock of ecosystems to provide ecosystem goods and services. While ecosystem functions are the stock, ecosystem services are the actually (potential) use. It is important that ES are used in such a manner as not to deplete the natural stock. In other words, used in a sustainable way. Examples of ES are the provisioning of food (by either ‘natural’ ecosystems or cultivated ecosystems) and raw material; purification of water and air; prevention of soil erosion; retention of drinking water; protection against weather extremes; genetic resources; pollination and natural predation; recreation and (eco) tourism; landscape enjoyment; etc. ES was developed to make apparent to policy and decision makers, managers of natural areas, scientists, etc. the value of ecosystems and the goods and services they provide. Valuation can be either economic value, socio-cultural value, ecological value or a combination of the three. The concept can be used to influence land use decisions that would affect the ecosystems or natural areas concerned. For instance, a decision could be on the table to convert a natural area into an agricultural area or for real easte development. While these might provide income and employment in the short term, in the long run they could endanger the provisioning of other ecosystem services. This in the end could cost society a whole lot more than the benefits of the mentioned land use conversion. With the concept of ES, ecologists, environmentalists and policy makers have a tool to make benefits of and losses to ES apparent to decision and policy makers.
If you are member of an organization or individual dedicated to the protection of nature and to sustainable development, you can join our network.