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Payments for Ecosystem Services: best practice guide
A best practice guide to assist with the design and implementation of Payments for Ecosystem Services schemes.
PDF, 10MB, 85 pages
By Bridget Elliott on 25th June 2013
Defra has recently issued a Best Practice Guide on Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES), the publication of which fulfils an important commitment made in the 2011 Natural Environment White Paper. The Guide has been published alongside an Action Plan for developing PES which sets out actions government can take to facilitate the emergence of practical and innovative schemes. The Guide was prepared by an expert consortium with hands-on experience of developing PES schemes and was produced in collaboration with potential users through a national workshop and consultation on an early draft. The Guide is divided into three parts: Part 1 provides an overview of PES including key principles and concepts; Part 2 provides step-by-step advice for designing and implementing a PES scheme; and Part 3 signposts further information and resources. The Guide is accompanied by an annex which sets out case studies of existing PES or ‘PES-like’ schemes from both the UK and overseas.
