‘Ecosystem Services’, defined as “the benefits people obtain from ecosystems” is an evolving concept that connects ecosystem with human wellbeing through provisioned services. Safeguarding ecosystems is one of the Aichi Targets (Target 14) for biodiversity conservation under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
The diverse ecosystems found in Nepal are the major sources of ecosystem services supporting more than 70% of the rural communities directly. The low-income economy is highly dependent on ecosystem services and other natural capital, including tourism.
There is an urgent need to comprehend the complexities of the ecosystems and the bio-socio-economics related to its management so that appropriate policies and strategies can be developed to address emerging threats to ecosystems and to enhance services to benefit both nature and humans alike.
Thus, ICIMOD in collaboration with BCN and with financial support from European Union conducted an assessment of the ecosystem services in Rauta VDC, Udayapur District, Nepal. The report highlights integrated ideas and scenarios of the state and dynamics of ecological, socioeconomic, and livelihood aspects of the study area. It also summarizes people’s perceptions on climate change scenarios and potential impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and their livelihoods. It highlights the overuse of resources, with an emphasis on land use and land cover change, and discusses the factors affecting people’s vulnerability, including adaptive capacity, livelihood options, and adaptation practices adopted by local communities in response to environmental and socioeconomic changes. Finally, the report develops knowledge products to share and ensure mainstreaming for the effective planning and management of ecosystems.