2.4.2.4 Lesson Learned 4: Local scale assessments are essential

Why

To date most Ecosystem Services Assessment research has been either conceptual or at larger scales (MEA, TEEB, NEA) neglecting local scale. Large Ecosystem Services Assessments do not tend to address specific management issues, and hence rarely go further than awareness raising.

Ecosystem Services Assessment provides a clear and extensive vision of the complex issues raised by the use of marine ecosystems which fits well with the complex objectives of local marine governance.

How

Case study areas and approaches were specifically designated to be useful to local managers.

The VALMER project aimed to address this gap in local Ecosystem Services knowledge and to link Ecosystem Services Assessment with existing local management bodies.

Initial diagnosis, thinking about trade-offs, providing data for comparing real management options, and good stakeholder relationships (building on existing and creating new) were all carefully undertaken to ensure Ecosystem Services Assessment was effective at a local scale.

What next

Accurate local Ecosystem Services Assessment should avoid too much complexity; local managers should acknowledge that it may not be possible to undertake the “ideal” Ecosystem Services Assessment in the context of limited information and high uncertainty, but they should also recognise the potential benefits of any Ecosystem Services Assessment; there are opportunities to develop tools that have a continuing life at the local scale, that may also improve the relevance and reduce the costs of broad scale assessments.