title: Beyond Ecosystem Services: Valuing the Invaluable.
abstract: The ecosystem services framework (ESF) is advantageous and widely used for itemising and quantifying ways in which humans benefit from natural places. However, it suffers from two important problems: (i) incoherence of definitions and (ii) a narrow approach to valuation, inadequate to represent the full range of human motives for conservation and the diverse interests of different stakeholders. These shortcomings can lead to a range of problems including double-counting, blind spots and unintended consequences. In this opinion article, we propose an ecosystem valuing framework as a broader and more rigorous way to deliver the benefits currently sought from the ESF, without the conceptual problems.
authors.affiliation: School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; West Yorkshire School of Christian Studies, Outwood House, Leeds LS18 4JN, UK. Electronic address: rmg@cantab.net.
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gunton
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LA, UK.
authors.forename: Eline N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: van Asperen
authors.affiliation: Salford Business School, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basden
authors.affiliation: A Rocha International, 89 Worship Street, London EC2A 2BF, UK; Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 9BS, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bookless
authors.affiliation: School of Environment Earth & Ecosystems, Open University, Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK.
authors.forename: Yoseph
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Araya
authors.affiliation: West Yorkshire School of Christian Studies, Outwood House, Leeds LS18 4JN, UK.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.affiliation: School of Civil Engineering & Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Goddard
authors.affiliation: School of Arts & Communication, Leeds Trinity University, Horsforth, Leeds LS18 5HD, UK.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Otieno
authors.affiliation: West Yorkshire School of Christian Studies, Outwood House, Leeds LS18 4JN, UK.
authors.forename: Gareth O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation
keywords: aspectual analysis; cognitive; communal; ecological; ideological; multicriterion assessment; natural capital; value theory