PESFOR-W: Improving the design and environmental effectiveness of woodlands for water Payments for Ecosystem Services
Authors: Valatin Gregory , Abildtrup Jens , Accastello Cristian , Al-Tawaha Abdel Rahman , Andreucci Maria-Beatrice , Atanasova Silvia , Avdibegović Mersudin , Baksic Nikolina , Banasik Kazimierz , Barquin Jose , Barstad Johan , Bastakova Viera , Becirovic Dzenan , Begueria Santiago , Bethers Uldis , Bihunova Maria , Blagojevic Bosko , Bösch Matthias , Bournaris Thomas , Cao Yiying , Carvalho-Santos Claudia , Chikalanov Alexander , Cunha e Sá Maria , Czyżyk Krzysztof , Daly Hamed , Davies Helen , Del Campo Antonio , Groot Rudolf de , De Vreese Rik , Dostál Tomáš , El  Mokaddem Abdelmohssin , Finér Leena , Evans Rhys , Fiquepron Julien , Frac Magdalena , Futter Martyn , Garcia Serge , Gatto Paola , Geneletti Davide , Gezik Veronika , Giupponi Carlo , González-Sanchís María , Gordillo Fernando , Gorriz Elena , Grigorova Yulia , Heinsoo Katrin , Hochbichler Eduard , Högbom Lars , Image Mike , Jacobsen Jette , Japelj Anže , Jelic Sreten , Junk Jürgen , Juhasz Csaba , Kagalou Ifigenia , Kelly-Quinn Mary , Klamerus-Iwan Anna , Kluvankova Tatiana , Koeck Roland , Konovska Iskra , Ostoic Silvija , Krc Janez , Lavnyy Vasyl , Leonardi Alessandro , Libiete Zane , Little Declan , Lo Porto Antonio , Loukas Athanasios , Lyubenova Mariyana , Maric Bruno , Martínez-López Javier , Martinez Inazio , Maxim Alexandru , Metslaid Marek , Melvin Alison , Costică Mihai , Mincev Ivan , Morkvenas Zymantas , Nevenic Radovan , Nisbet Tom , O'hUallachain Daire , Olschewski Roland , Östberg Johan , Oszust Karolina , Ovando Paola , Paletto Alessandro , Parpan Taras , Pettenella Davide , Malovrh Špela , Planinšek Špela , Podlipná Radka , Posavec Stjepan , Potočki Kristina , Prokofieva Irina , Quinteiro Paula , Radocz Laszlo , Ristic Ratko , Robert Nicolas , Rugani Benedetto , Sabanovic Jelena , Sarvasova Zuzana , Savoska Snezana , Schleppi Patrick , Schueler Gebhard , Shannon Margaret , Silgram Martyn , Srdjevic Bojan , Stefan Gavril , Stijovic Aleksandar , Strange Niels , Tattari Sirkka , Teofilovski Aco , Termansen Mette , Thorsen Bo , Toth Attila , Trebs Ivonne , Tmušić Novica , Vasiliades Lampros , Vedel Suzanne , Ventrubová Kateřina , Vuletic Dijana , Winkel Georg , Yao Richard , Young Sarah , Yousefpour Rasoul , Zahvoyska Lyudmyla , Zhang Daowei , Zhou Jianhua , Žižková Eva 
Published: May 2017

The EU Water Framework Directive aims to ensure restoration of Europe’s water bodies to “good ecological status” by 2027. Many Member States will struggle to meet this target, with around half of EU river catchments currently reporting below standard water quality. Diffuse pollution from agriculture represents a major pressure, affecting over 90% of river basins. Accumulating evidence shows that recent improvements to agricultural practices are benefiting water quality but in many cases will be insufficient to achieve WFD objectives. There is growing support for land use change to help bridge the gap, with a particular focus on targeted tree planting to intercept and reduce the delivery of diffuse pollutants to water. This form of integrated catchment management offers multiple benefits to society but a significant cost to landowners and managers.

New economic instruments, in combination with spatial targeting, need to be developed to ensure cost effective solutions – including tree planting for water benefits - are realised. Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) are flexible, incentive-based mechanisms that could play an important role in promoting land use change to deliver water quality targets. The PESFOR-W COST Action will consolidate learning from existing woodlands for water PES schemes in Europe and help standardize approaches to evaluating the environmental effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of woodland measures. It will also create a European network through which PES schemes can be facilitated, extended and improved, for example by incorporating other ecosystem services linking with aims of the wider forests-carbon policy nexus.