Sustainable management of ecosystems and the services that they provide
The world’s natural capital is dwindling. Never before has there been such an acute need for the sustainable management of ecosystems and the services that they provide. To tackle this grand challenge Utrecht University joined forces with several knowledge institutes, NGO’s for nature conservation and other societal partners in the Academy of Ecosystem Services.
Providing scientific support
The Academy of Ecosystem Services acts as a platform to provide solutions to issues related to ecosystem services and to stimulate the exchange between science and practice. It supports evidence-based conservation strategies, creates unique opportunities for interdisciplinary and integrative research, connects teaching and research activities and facilitates long-term research programmes. The research of the Academy focusses on four interdisciplinary research topics: greening value chains, optimizing land use, understanding ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity conservation.