Demonstration Sites


NatCap Brochure


Ecosystem Services:

If properly managed, ecosystems yield a flow of services that are vital to humanity, including the production of goods such as food and timber, life support processes such as providing clean and ample water, protection from storms and flooding, recreational opportunities such as beautiful places to visit, and the preservation of genetic diversity. Despite their importance, ecosystem services are poorly understood, scarcely monitored, and, in many cases, undergoing rapid degradation and depletion. The Natural Capital Project uses science-based approaches and tools to account for spatial changes in these ecosystem services and their relationship to human well-being.


Where We Work


Where we work

The Natural Capital Project is working in projects around the world to scientifically test and improve our approach and tools and to demonstrate how they can be used to incorporate ecosystem services into natural resource decisions. Since our founding in 2006, we have worked on more than 20 major projects worldwide—informing decisions ranging from the designation of ecosystem function conservation areas in China, to coastal protection in the Gulf of Mexico, to marine spatial planning in Canada and Belize. Currently, our major demonstration sites include:


Current Projects:


Selected Completed Projects:


These sites were selected based on the following criteria:


  • Significant Biodiversity. Richness, uniqueness, and/or representation.

  • Critical Environmental Services. Clearly identified environmental services that are central to human well-being.

  • High Threat level. Potential high rates of change, especially degradation.

  • High Leverage Potential. Potential to influence important and imminent policy decisions and expand lessons regionally, nationally, or beyond.

  • Stakeholder Will. Decision-makers with ability and interest to implement service protection systems.

  • Capacity. Scientific and management capacity, leadership and convening power, present in one or more of the partners.

  • Learning. Opportunities high for rapid advancement across all Natural Capital Project efforts.