H2020 ESMERALDA Project: Improving the mapping of ecosystem services for decision-making and policy-making

Mapping and assessing the health of ecosystems and their services in Europe The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 calls on all Member States to map and assess the state of ecosystems and their services in order to make informed decisions about the future of biodiversity. An EU project has established a pan-European network and knowledge base to support these actions. Target 2, Action 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy sets the requirement for an EU-wide map of ecosystems and the services they provide, including climate, clean air and water, food, wood production, and recreation. It is designed to be a primary source of data for the development of European green infrastructure, a resource for identifying areas for ecosystem restoration, and a baseline against which the objective of zero net loss of biodiversity or ecosystem services (ES) can be assessed.

In response to the requirements of Action 5, the EU-funded ESMERALDA project created ES mapping and assessment strategies for all 28 Member States, plus Norway, Switzerland, and Israel. They presented a flexible methodology for mapping and assessing ecosystems and their services (MAES). “The methodology provides innovative building blocks for pan-European, national, and regional MAES studies,” says coordinator Prof. Dr. Benjamin Burkhard. “It also lays the foundation for local assessments, including spatial planning, agriculture, land degradation, climate, water, and nature policies.” Solutions for ES mapping and assessment Drawing on the expertise of its pan-European partners and their contacts, ESMERALDA mobilized relevant actors in ES mapping and assessment from ongoing international, European, and national initiatives. The aim was to leverage existing projects, networks, methods, and data through workshops and face-to-face meetings. This provided opportunities to improve ES mapping and assessment methodologies and knowledge sharing, as well as to fulfill commitments under Action 5. The project established a stakeholder network, including support groups in each country composed of representatives from science, policy, and practice. The project team created ESMERALDA MAES Explorer, an online, open-access guidance tool that provides instructions on how to use MAES as required by Action 5.

Users can browse a wide range of products. These include project deliverables reports, open-access scientific publications, a textbook on ES mapping, a glossary of ES mapping and assessment terminology, and country and case study fact sheets illustrating MAES implementation and applications. ES Method Application Cards are also provided, focusing on the selection of appropriate methods for mapping and assessing one or more ES to answer underlying questions. An additional feature of the tool is the Methods Explorer, which allows users to explore the ESMERALDA methods database and gather further information on methods. The interface helps users of ESMERALDA products find what they need for MAES implementation in their country, region, area, or case study. Guidance documents offer detailed descriptions of MAES implementation in seven steps.

Tailor-made MAES guidance for EU countries According to Prof. Dr. Burkhard, several Member States made substantial progress in implementing Action 5 while the project was still ongoing. This was particularly evident in Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, France, Ireland, Malta, Poland, Romania, and the Baltic States. “By sharing experiences through an active process of dialogue and knowledge co-creation, ESMERALDA enables all EU countries to achieve the objectives of Action 5 of Target 2 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy,” concludes Prof. Dr. Burkhard. “Stakeholders have web tools, methods, and approaches to address ES mapping and assessment problems.” ESMERALDA successfully mobilized and boosted scientific capacity in several countries, enabling researchers and policymakers to extend their national networks at regional and European scales.