Description

This is a report on the ecosystem services project implemented in the Goulburn Broken Catchment, Victoria, Australia. The overall Goal of the project was to develop and disseminate a different conceptualization of the value and role of the environment for human society. objectives include:

1. Estimate the values of selected ecosystem services as a way to help policy-makers and land managers take account of the interrelationships among a wider range of ecological, economic and social values at scales from local to regional.

2. Work with a wide range of policy makers, planners, land managers, industry and community groups to raise awareness of the values of maintaining ecosystem functions,

3. Develop recommendations for policies and practices that maintain these values 4. Enhance both uptake of present policies and practices and implementation of new ones (through communication)

5. Develop and promote the project outputs for application elsewhere, as one possible national approach to assist sound resource management

(Excerpt from project website, available: http://www.ecosystemservicesproject.org/html/case_studies/goulburn.html)

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary 1. Origin, aims and scope of this research 2. Economy and land use in the Goulburn Broken Catchment 3. Development and the depletion of natural capital 4. The production and valuation of ecosystem services 5. Communication and participative research 6. Which services matter, and at what scale? 7. Ecosystem services from dairy systems 8. Assessing ecosystem services on the lower Goulburn River floodplain 9. Ecosystem services from a dryland sub-catchment 10. Ecosystem services supporting tourism and recreation 11. Water inputs and nutrient outputs from the Goulburn Broken economy 12. Achievements, findings and recommendations 12.1 Communicate project results widely 12.2 Work with policy makers, planners, land managers, industry and community groups to raise awareness of the values of maintaining ecosystem function

12.3 Estimate the benefits of ecosystem services at a range of spatial and temporal scales as a way to help policy makers, planners and land and watermanagers take account of the inter-relationships among a range of ecological, economic and social values

12.4 Evaluate the ecosystem services concept 12.5 Develop and test methods 12.6 Recommend policies and practices that maintain ecosystem service values