ESP aims to enhance communication, coordination and cooperation, and to build a strong network of individuals and organizations. ESP enhances and encourages a diversity of approaches, while reducing unnecessary duplication of efforts in the conceptualization and application of ecosystem services. By raising the profile of ecosystem services and promoting better practice, the ESP will also increase opportunities for financial support and help to focus the funding of individual organizations for more efficient utilization of existing funds.

Background

The Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP) was launched in 2008 by the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics (University of Vermont, USA) and is now being coordinated by the Environmental Systems Analysis Group (Wageningen University, the Netherlands), supported by the Foundation for Sustainable Development (Wageningen, The Netherlands). The ESP consists of institutional and individual members. The Partnership has a specified governance structure and an executive committee.

The initiating organizations of ESP are the Environmental Systems Analysis Group (Wageningen University, the Netherlands), the Institute for Ecological Economics (Portland State University, United States of America), the Ecosystem Management Department (University of Kiel, Germany), the Centre of Environmental Management (University of Nottingham, United Kingdom) and the Salento Landscape Ecology Lab. (University of Salento, Italy). If you are interested in joining the partnership, read more about how to become a member.

For more information, you can get in touch with us via the contact form.