Ecosystem services and valuation

Ecosystem Services and Their Valuation in Modern-Day Projects

This short course introduces participants to the concept of ecosystem services, their classification under global frameworks, the idea of natural capital, and practical approaches to valuing ecosystems in real-world project settings (infrastructure, conservation, EIA, corporate sustainability, and policy). By the end of the course, participants will be able to identify ecosystem services relevant to a project, select an appropriate valuation technique, and be aware of key software/models used globally for ecosystem service assessment.

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Dr. Arkajyoti Shome

About the Teacher

Biodiversity expert
Ecologist
Naturalist

Dr. Arkajyoti Shome is an independent biodiversity expert, ecologist, and naturalist. He holds a Ph.D. in Ecology & Environment Studies from Nalanda University, where his doctoral work focused on ecosystem services of Indian wetlands using plant functional traits.

He has worked with the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), leading field monitoring of hornbill nesting sites, and with The Energy & Resources Institute (TERI) on biodiversity policy and nature-based solutions.

An IUCN member, Dr. Shome brings hands-on field experience, research rigour, and policy understanding together — making ecology accessible and practical for aspiring field researchers.

His Publications

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=84VIISQAAAAJ&hl=en

Explain the MEA (2005) classification of ecosystem services and its relevance to natural capital.
Distinguish between different types of natural capital and ecosystem service valuation techniques.
Identify appropriate valuation methods for different project contexts.
Understand the design and application of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes as a project financing mechanism.
Recognize major software/models used for ecosystem service assessment and valuation.
Apply a basic framework to incorporate ecosystem service considerations into project planning and decision-making.
E- Certificate for all participants
Lifetime access to live recorded session

BASIC COURSE SYLLABUS

Foundations — Understanding Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital

Session 1 — Introduction to Ecosystem Services

What are ecosystem services? Why do they matter to development projects?
Historical evolution of the concept (from Costanza et al. 1997 to present)
Linkages between biodiversity, ecosystems, and human well-being

Session 2 — The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA), 2005

Background and purpose of MEA (2005)
The four-fold classification:
- Provisioning services (food, water, timber, fiber, genetic resources)
- Regulating services (climate regulation, flood control, water purification, pollination)
- Supporting services (soil formation, nutrient cycling, primary production)
- Cultural services (recreation, aesthetic, spiritual, educational values)
Critiques and later refinements (CICES, TEEB classification)

Session 3 — Natural Capital: The Underlying Asset

Defining natural capital (stocks of natural assets: land, air, water, biodiversity, geology)
The Natural Capital framework: capital → flow of services → benefits to people
Natural Capital Protocol (Natural Capital Coalition) — brief overview
Relevance to project decision-making: dependencies and impacts on natural capital
Link to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and corporate ESG reporting

Session 4 — Wrap-up & Discussion

Short case example: how a project (e.g., dam, mining, urban expansion) affects multiple ecosystem services
Q&A / open discussion
Preview of Day 2

Valuation Techniques & Practical Tools

Session 1 — Why Value Ecosystem Services?

The rationale for economic valuation in project appraisal, EIA, and cost-benefit analysis
Total Economic Value (TEV) framework: use value (direct, indirect, option) vs. non-use value (bequest, existence)

Session 2 — Types of Valuation Techniques

Market-based approaches
Revealed preference methods
Stated preference methods
Benefit transfer method
Strengths, limitations, and appropriate use-cases for each technique
Choosing the right method based on service type and data availability (quick decision matrix)

Session 3 — Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Model

What is PES? Core principle: "beneficiary pays provider" for a service delivered
Key elements of a PES scheme: buyer, seller, intermediary, defined service, conditionality
Common PES applications: watershed services, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, landscape beauty
Design challenges: additionality, leakage, permanence, equity, monitoring & enforcement
How PES connects valuation techniques (Session 2) to real project financing mechanisms

Session 4 — Model Systems & Tools Available

Overview of commonly used ecosystem service assessment tools/models:
- InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs) — Natural Capital Project
- ARIES (Artificial Intelligence for Ecosystem Services)
- TESSA (Toolkit for Ecosystem Service Site-based Assessment)
- SEEA-EA (System of Environmental-Economic Accounting — Ecosystem Accounting, UN framework)
Brief comparison: purpose, data needs, spatial vs. non-spatial, open-source vs. proprietary
How these tools integrate into modern project workflows (EIA, land-use planning, natural capital accounting, PES scheme design)

Session 5 — Application, Case Snapshot & Closing

Short applied example: valuing ecosystem services and structuring a PES arrangement for a real or hypothetical project (e.g., wetland conservation, forest offset, urban green infrastructure)
Key takeaways and how to integrate ecosystem service valuation into project lifecycle (screening → scoping → assessment → decision → monitoring)
Recommended resources for further learning
Final Q&A

Course Details

Date : 15,16-September-2026
Time : 07.00 pm to 08.30 pm (IST)

Platform : Zoom
Level : Beginner Friendly

Course Fees

Original Price : ₹825/-
First early Bird : ₹595 /- (Till 16-August-2026)
Second early Bird : ₹698 /- (Till 29-August-2026)
Group Discount : ₹500/- Per Head (Minimum 3 individual)
Organization Discount: ₹450/-Per Head (Minimum 5 individual)
Ex interns TNE : ₹400/-
Ex Participant : ₹545/- (Till 04-July-2026)

If you fall in the discount category (Group discounts/Organizational Discounts/ Present/ Ex Interns), you can pay the discounted amount directly to the bank account below.

Bank details

Account type-current

Account name- Wildlifearc

AC no.: 3346750332

IFSC. :KKBK0002040

UPI ID: Wildlifearc@kotak

Steps for discount payments

After the payment, please send a screenshot or the payment along with the full name, email addresses, WhatsApp numbers of the participants and course name (also, ID provided by institution in case of organizational discount) via WhatsApp to Mr. Kayden Anthony at 8407924258.

GROUP DISCOUNTS
GROUP DISCOUNTS ARE TO BE PAID TOGETHER AS A GROUP TO OUR UPI ID (eg. for 3 members, kindly pay ₹500* 3 = ₹1500 together & not separately)

ORGANIZATION DISCOUNTS

ORGANIZATION DISCOUNTS ARE TO BE PAID TOGETHER AS A GROUP TO OUR UPI ID (eg. For 5 members, kindly pay ₹450* 5 = ₹2250 together & not separately)

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