Linking evidence and operation in ecosystem service-based decision support tools

越来越多的政策要求，我们的景观保育和敏感管理不应局限于指定为具有保育价值的地区，而应扩展到更广泛的景观。社会对发展和基础设施项目的期望也越来越高，希望它们不仅能最大限度地减少对环境的影响，而且在可能的情况下，能增强更广泛的景观，并能从中获得利益和服务，如防洪、提供清洁水、碳储存和娱乐。因此，那些负责管理大面积景观的组织和企业需要适当的信息来帮助他们实现这些目标。关于景观管理如何影响景观效益和服务的证据越来越多。这一证据有助于为各种计算机模型的发展提供信息，这些模型可用于量化特定景观提供的不同服务，并预测景观变化对这些服务的可能影响。然而，这些模型中的许多都非常注重研究，需要专业知识来操作和解释，并且一般用户无法访问。在本项目中，我们将使用两个现有的生态系统服务决策支持模型作为该方法的测试平台，开发一个基于网络的工具，允许模型的用户检查和评估模型预测背后的证据基础。这一证据工具将采用一种在其他应用领域（包括工程和运输安全）已确立为行业标准的过程，但以前尚未在环境管理中应用。该工具将允许这些生态系统服务模型的用户首次了解和跟踪支持模型预测的证据。这一证据工具的潜在应用范围很广，包括能源、水和交通、建筑行业以及自然保护。我们在项目中的正式合作伙伴团队证明了这一点，包括一家行业监管机构、一家能源供应公司、一家建筑公司、一家景观管理合作伙伴和一家野生动物信托基金，以及Defra、威尔士政府、威尔士自然资源部和自然英格兰。

There is an increasing demand from policy that conservation and sensitive management of our landscape should not be restricted to areas designated for their conservation value, but should extend to the broader landscape as well. There is also an increasing expectation from society that development and infrastructure projects should be undertaken in such a way that not only minimises their environmental impact but where possible enhances the wider landscape and the benefits and services that we obtain from it, such as flood prevention, the provision of clean water, carbon storage and recreation. Those organisations and businesses responsible for managing large areas of the landscape therefore need the appropriate information to help them achieve these goals.There is an increasing body of evidence concerning how landscape management affects landscape benefits and services. This evidence has helped to inform the development of a wide range of computer models that can be used to quantify the different services that a particular landscape provides, and to predict the likely impacts of landscape change on these services. However, many of these models are heavily research-focused, require specialist knowledge to operate and interpret, and are not accessible to general users. In this project, using two existing ecosystem service decision-support models as test-beds for the approach, we will develop a web-based tool that will allow users of the models to examine and evaluate the evidence base underlying the predictions of the models. This evidence tool will use a process that is well-established as industry standard in other areas of application, including engineering and transport safety, but has not previously been applied in environmental management. The tool will allow users of these ecosystem service models to understand and track the evidence underpinning model predictions for the first time. There are potential applications of this evidence tool across a wide range of sectors, including energy, water and transport, and the construction industry, as well as for nature conservation. Our group of formal partners in the project attests to this, and includes an industry regulator, an energy supply company, a construction firm, a landscape management partnership and a Wildlife Trust, as well as Defra, the Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales and Natural England.