Training Course

The Economics of Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity: Valuation of protected areas in Eastern Europe
27 31 January 2013, Isle of Vilm / Germany
Scope
One of the hot topics in environmental management today is the concept of ecosystem services. This concept can be defined as the benefits that people obtain from ecosystems. Important ecosystem services are food, fuel, timber and water provision, carbon storage and sequestration, soil formation, climate and disease regulation, aesthetic benefits and spiritual values. Biodiversity is often seen as the main underlying asset from which all ecosystem services are produced. By putting ecosystem services central in the debate on nature conservation, the societal benefits of nature conservation and the need to align conservation and development goals are stressed. Communicating closely the ecosystem services of Protected Areas can help to build better support for them. For this, quantification and valuation of ecosystem services and biodiversity are major challenges.

Target group & trainer

Practitioners and policy makers working in the domain of protected areas in Eastern Europe. Also Eastern European researchers and advanced students in relevant fields are welcome to participate. The course is organized by the International Academy for Nature Conservation (INA) on the Isle of Vilm, which is part of a branch office of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN). The workshop will take place from 27th 31st of January 2013. The trainer will be Pieter van Beukering, PhD, from the University of Amsterdam. He is an environmental economist with an extensive experience on economic valuation instruments throughout the world.

Objectives
This training course shall provide tools and build capacity for the valuation of ecosystem services of protected areas in Eastern Europe and shall demonstrate how practitioners can use this economic value in their daily management. The course focuses on: an understanding of what specific services are linked to ecosystems and biodiversity. the quantification and economics of ecosystem services. own case studies of the participants tailored to their personal context and quantifying and economically valuing the most important ecosystem services in their own protected area. the use of the valuation results for management, communication and building support.
Analytical integrated framework for implementing ecosystem services approach

Content
The main elements of the workshop include: 1. Biodiversity assessment methods: The course focuses on an understanding of what specific services of the protected area are provided by which component of which ecosystem, and how these are linked to specific elements of biodiversity; 2. Mapping and quantification methods: Spatial and temporal dimensions of ecosystem services play a crucial role in the management of protected areas. This component of the course will focus on quantifying ecosystem services while accounting for spatial variation. 3. Economic valuation: This module will address the economics of ecosystem services of protected areas, addressing the main challenges economists currently face in valuing ecosystem services, covering the latest progress in novel valuation techniques for ecosystems and biodiversity. 4. Governance mechanisms: The course will also aims at providing participants with a multi-disciplinary understanding of ecosystem and biodiversity governance, including economic, legal, and policy perspectives. 5. Use of economic valuation for awareness raising, decision making and management, damage assessment, mobilising funding.

Registration
Please, register at the website of the International Academy for Nature Conservation by 10 January 2013:
http://www.bfn.de/0603_kalender.html?&no_cache=1&L=1&tx_blitzcalendar_pi1%5Bqlist%5D =1&tx_blitzcalendar_pi1%5Buid%5D=9&tx_blitzcalendar_pi1%5Bcid%5D=2263&tx_blitzcalen dar_pi1%5Bcmd%5D=single

There are no course fees; however participants are asked to pay for board and lodgng: Single room including full board: Double room including full board: 78.00 per day 64.00 per day

Participants from Eastern European countries may also apply for funding towards travel, food and lodging.
For more information contact: Ralf Grunewald, ralf.grunewald@bfn-vilm.de

Other information
The International Academy for Nature Conservation is based on the Isle of Vilm, which is located adjacent to the Island of Rgen in the Baltic Sea (see below). For more Information: http://www.bfn.de/06_akademie_natursch+M52087573ab0.html

International Academy for Nature Conservation (INA) Federal Agency for Nature Conservation Branch office Isle of Vilm, GERMANY

Tel.: +49-38301-86-115 Fax: +49-38301-86-117 email: ralf.grunewald@bfn-vilm.de