Rocky Mountain Region

U.S. Forest Service
Rocky Mountain Region
740 Simms St
Golden, CO 80401
303-275-5350

TTD ⁄ TTY
303-275-5367

Ecosystem Services
Private Landowners and Communities have long provided multiple ecosystem services and benefits to society, including:

·         Provisioning Services such as food, fresh water, fuel, and fiber;

·         Regulating Services such as climate, water, and disease regulation as well as pollination;

·         Supporting Services such as soil formation, and nutrient cycling; and

·         Cultural Services such as educational, aesthetic, and cultural heritage values as well as recreation and tourism.

Existing and emerging Ecosystem Service Markets have the potential to provide payments to landowners and communities for services that traditionally have been provided for free.

This added financial incentive could help: 

·         Keep forests as forests by reducing economic pressures for landowners to sell their forest holdings;

·         Offset costs of forest management and restoration activities;

·         Help fund tree planting initiatives in communities; and 

·         Increase public awareness of the importance of forest resources.

The Rocky Mountain Region is currently working with state forestry agencies to prepare for carbon, water, and other emerging Ecosystem Service markets. 

In August 2008, the Region hosted a workshop with the state foresters and other partners to assess current Ecosystem Service opportunities in the Region. 

**Click here for details about the meeting, including copies of presentations.

For more information contact Claire Harper

Or visit our National Ecosystem Services website