Ecosystem management

This report focuses on the management of natural coastal carbon sinks. There is a lack of recognition and focus on coastal marine ecosystems to complement activities already well advanced on land to address the best practice management of carbon sinks.

Investment in sustainable ecosystem management can offer cost-effective solutions to reducing community vulnerability to disasters. Healthy ecosystems are beneficial to local populations for the many benefits and products they provide, whilst acting as natural buffers to hazard events for flood abatement, slope stabilization, coastal protection and avalanche protection.

Increasing incidence and intensity of natural disasters and climate change are having over-arching impacts on the environment. Sustainable development is being undermined. Ecological services and their indirect economic values are frequently omitted from assessments. Mainstreaming ecosystem concerns – both ecological and economical – and integrating them into disaster management is essential.

Increasing incidence and intensity of natural disasters and climate change are having over-arching impacts on the environment. Sustainable development is being undermined. Ecological services and their indirect economic values are frequently omitted from assessments. Mainstreaming ecosystem concerns – both ecological and economical – and integrating them into disaster management is essential.

This book includes a set of strategic guidelines and key conservation and development issues for the Mediterranean mountains, grouped into eight priority themes, as a starting point towards the elaboration of action plans for the Mediterranean mountain chains.The book contents are based on the outputs of the rich debate that emerged from case studies and experiences debated by regional experts in a regional workshop which took place in Malaga (Spain) on 10-12 December 2007.

Seagrasses are flowering plants that thrive in shallow oceanic and estuarine waters around the world. Although there are only about 60 species of seagrasses worldwide, these plants play an important role in many shallow, near-shore, marine ecosystems. There is growing evidence that seagrasses are declining globally because of anthropogenic impacts. This paper presents an overview of seagrasses, the impacts of climate change, and other threats to seagrass habitats.

This technical report uses the framework of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment to extend awareness on the value of coastal ecosystems, their products and services for human well-being (i.e. livelihood security and development benefits) and shows how economic valuation of coastal ecosystem services can be a valuable tool for conservation managers and development decision-makers. It presents case studies from Sri Lanka and Thailand.

This book follows applications of the Ecosystem Approach over a 5-10 year period in five locations. Key findings include the vital importance of a full stakeholder analysis, of market analysis and of the promotion of institutional evolution.

This publication is a collection of selected case studies representative of the application of the Ecosystem Approach under different ecological, social, economic and cultural contexts in Latin America.