Ecosystem services are goods and services of direct or indirect benefit to humans that are produced by ecosystem processes involving the interaction of living elements, such as vegetation and soil organisms, and non-living elements, such as bedrock, water, and air.
PlanGreen will help policymakers:

• Shape policies and programs that take into account the full direct and indirect economic value of the goods and services produced by a healthy environment
• Consider the economic consequences of an impaired ecosystem

Examples of Ecosystem Services policies include:

RiverEast Bioswale attracts admirers in its first year. As the native plants grow in it will only get better!

• Managing water on site to imitate natural water cycles
• Strategically planting appropriate vegetation to cool the area, filter water, and provide habitat
• Restoring soils to support healthy vegetation and filter pollutants
• Selecting sustainable materials to protect human health.

Endorsement

Mary Vogel energetically and enthusiastically advocates for sustainable development. She is extremely thorough and vigilant about finding opportunities to critically analyze urban planning and land use, writing insightfully about issues. She helps us all stay better connected through her timely promotion of events that help us stay on the leading edge of sustainability.
Carol Bellows, CSBA, LEED GA
President, Lyricdancer