Engage in a public dialog on goals, policies, and trade-offs. Dramatic improvements in ecosystem condition and capacity are possible when governments and nongovernmental organizations create opportunities to air diverse approaches toward ecosystem management. Recognize the value of ecosystem services. Removing subsidies and explicitly pricing ecosystem services can be politically difficult but can promote efficient resource use. Involve local communities in managing ecosystems.
Local communities are often the most prudent ecosystem managers.
Involving local communities can also yield a more equitable distribution of the benefits and costs of ecosystem use. We believe People and Ecosystems and other critical assessment activities provide a strong foundation for addressing environmental problems and the alleviation of poverty in this millennium.