Pay For Ecosystem Services (PES)

What are payments for ecosystem services (PES)?
Payments for ecosystem services (PES) is one of the most commonly used mechanisms to generate revenue for biodiversity conservation. It is to provide benefits to landowners who preserve ecosystem services (ES) to disincentives them from using the land for different purposes, such as deforestation. They are used to incentivize land users to properly manage and conserve their natural environment, thus ensuring the flow of ecosystem services (Pagiola and Platais 2002).

PES in Last Forest’s context
Honey marketed by Last Forest is from the Giant Rock Bee (Apis dorsata), which plays an important role in the forest ecosystem. Bees pollinate many species of these tropical forests, thus enabling the cycles of nature. Many other plant and animal species thrive in these forests. Many springs and streams emerge from these areas – enabling the survival of all life forms. When you buy the honey and beeswax products, you support the symbiotic relationship that exists between man and nature. The amount will be used to support the following activities:
·Planting tree species that increase bee habitats and colonies
·Promoting beekeeping with communities
·Training and knowledge exchange for the younger generation of Adivasis to imbibe traditional values and sustainable harvesting methods
·Undertake Ecological monitoring in these forests with barefoot ecologists The premium charged is not based on the actual costs of ecosystem services rendered by bees, it is a notional amount to determine willingness to pay.

PES Worldwide In the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in PES with over 550 active programmes around the globe. However, there is still limited data as there is no international standard in reporting or implementing PES.

Going forward
No matter how PES is defined, it is important to understand, in simple words, that it operates as a financial mechanism for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service provision.