Ecosystem Services Approach: Critical for Community Livelihoods

Abstract

Ecosystem services that nature provides are of great concerns to human being for their livelihoods and well-being. However, anthropogenic and climatic stressors are posing great threat to these common goods and services, where unstainable harvesting is considered as one of the key drivers. With primary research in mid hills of Nepal, this article examines the importance of local ownerships and incentive mechanism to ensure sustainable supply of ecosystem services (ES) to communities with its national importance. This article argues that the ES approach ensuring local ownerships and incentive mechanism is a promising one of the possible instruments to manage CGSs in Nepal and in Himalayas. If designed and implemented appropriately, this will achieve both purposes of enhancing local livelihoods and reducing negative impacts on common and ensure conservation ethics.