Native Plant Conservation Campaign News: White House Directs Federal Agencies to Consider Ecosystem Services in Decision-making
October 30, 2015
On October 7, the White House released a memorandum directing all Federal agencies to incorporate the value of natural infrastructure (aka natural capital) and ecosystem services into Federal planning and decision making. Agencies will develop policies that promote consideration of ecosystem services in planning, investment, and regulatory actions.
Read the White House Press Release for the memorandum.
The goal of the direction is that Federal programs and actions more effectively help to maintain “ecosystem and community resilience, sustainable use of natural resources, and the recreational value of the Nation’s unique landscapes.” To achieve this, future planning and environmental analyses for management of Federal lands, endangered species, highways and other Federal actions must include evaluation of the value of and impacts to ecosystem services.
The services provided by natural ecosystems include flood control, water purification, climate regulation, soil fertility, groundwater recharge, habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, pest control, and carbon capture. Globally, the value of ecosystem services has been estimated to be as much as $125 trillion/year.
The new memorandum is the latest in a series of recent Federal policies and strategies reflecting the growing scientific understanding of the value of healthy native plant communities and ecosystems, particularly in providing climate resilience, protection from extreme weather, and pollinator habitat.
Information on two of these initiatives released this year is available on the NPCC website:
Extensive information and links are available on the Ecosystem Services page of the NPCC website.
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