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Ecosystem services
An ecosystem is an interdependent system of living things in their physical environment. Ecosystems are the ultimate source of all our energy, resources and products. A healthy ecosystem is one that is resilient; able to adapt to changes in the environment, such as fires, floods, insect population explosions and human activities.

Human wealth and wellbeing depends on the resources supplied by nature. Collectively, these resources are known as ecosystem services. When taking decisions about planning where housing will go, how to produce energy, how we grow food or dispose of wastes the environment has often been viewed as an inexhaustible source of materials and sink for waste products. Nature and its products - natural capital - is increasingly recognised as limited and requires at least as much consideration as economic and human capital in decision making. Despite their critical importance to human wellbeing and economic prosperity, these benefits are consistently undervalued in economic analyses and decision making.

The ecosystems service approach is outcome orientated, focussing on the delivery of many different services from healthy natural systems. It integrates all of the factors impacting on area and looks at the many different outputs to help decide how that are can best be managed to deliver benefits for humans. This approach makes it clear that the concept of natural capital goes beyond products (oil, gold, timber) to include the services which nature provides, and that this aspect of natural capital can be very vulnerable to damage by human activities.

A change in any one component of an ecosystem is likely to impact on the entire ecosystem, with potentially serious implications for humans.

Northern Ireland National Ecosystem Assessment
The Northern Ireland chapter of the UK National Ecosystem Assessment is a peer-reviewed synthesis of the benefits provided by the natural world to the economy and society of Northern Ireland. Published in October 2011 and prepared by over 70 scientists, it is the first independent assessment of the services provided by Northern Ireland’s environment.

The NI NEA is part of a UK-wide, two year project to assess the state of ecosystems in the UK, and establish what goods and services they provide for human wellbeing and the economy. The UK is the first country in the world the produce an assessment of the value which its ecosystems provide for its people. This follows a report into the global value of ecosystems (the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment).

The NI NEA provides an analysis of the current state of ecosystems in Northern Ireland, looks at changes over time, examines the factors driving current changes and provides recommendations on how Northern Ireland’s land and sea can be managed to ensure delivery of a wide range of benefits to enhance human wellbeing. Ultimately, the assessment demonstrates that the environment is absolutely essential to every aspect of our lives and the economy.

The NEA found that 30% of the ecosystem services in the UK are in decline. It is certain that demography and climate change will increase pressures on ecosystems. The research concluded that a more integrated approach is required to protect ecosystems and improve their delivery of human benefits.

Provisioning
The products obtained from ecosystems such as; food, livestock, fibre, timber and water

Regulating
The benefits obtained from ecosystem processes; such as pollination, water purification, flood control and carbon storage

Cultural
The non-material benefits obtained from ecosystems; such as through spiritual or religious enrichment, cultural heritage, sense of place, recreation and tourism or other aesthetic experience.

Supporting
The ecosystem functions that are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services, including soil formation, peat disposition, and the cycling of nutrients and water.

Examples of ecosystem services:
A wildfire near the Silent Valley reservoir in July 2004 burned approximately 0.8km2 of blanket bog. The fire had a considerable effect ton raw water quality in the reservoir that supplied water to over 15% of Northern Ireland’s population. It was not until June 2006 that raw water quality improved significantly. Efforts to address these problems cost approximately £230,000.

Key findings and recommendations
The benefits that humans derive from the natural world and its constituent ecosystems are critically important to human well-being and economic prosperity, but are consistently undervalued in economic analyses and decision making. Contemporary economic and participatory techniques allow us to take into account the monetary an non-monetary values of a wide range of ecosystem services. These techniques need to be adopted in everyday decision-making practice. Failure to include the valuation of non-market goods in decision making results in a less efficient resource allocation, with negative consequences for social wellbeing. Recognising the value of ecosystem services would allow the UK to move towards a more sustainable future, in which the benefits of ecosystem service are better realised and more equitably distributed. Ecosystem services have been directly affected by conversion of natural habitats, pollution and exploitation of resources From the late 1940s onwards, emphasis in the UK was placed on maximising production of goods to meet human needs. While productivity increased, there was a decline in the delivery of a range of other ecosystem services.

Changes in policy and legislation, often driven by the European Union, along with technological innovations and changing attitudes and behaviour, have led to improvements in some ecosystem services, particularly in the last 10-20 years.

Despite improvements, many ecosystem services are still far below their full potential, with adverse impacts on human wellbeing. There are likely to be more challenges to ecosystems due to increasing population and impacts of climate change.

We already have enough information to start managing our ecosystems more sustainably and good evidence of doing so. Actions taken and decisions made now will have consequences far into the future for ecosystems and human wellbeing

Funding and administration:
The UK NEA was funded by the UK and the devolved administrations as part of the Living with Environmental Change initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre. The NI chapter of the NEA was coordinated and edited by Northern Ireland Environment Link, with input from over 70 scientists.