The article describes n IUCNs experience with PES projects on Livelihood and Landscape Strategy (LLS). It pleads for a landscape approach to PES in reconciling global, national and local aspects, integrating social, cultural, geographic, legal, political, historical and economic concerns, and integrating water and carbon markets in forested landscapes.
The carbon and water related approach can be adopted in Guatemala having forest landscapes and wetland. In the Guinean landscape of upper Tinkisso basin, Niger a pilot study has been proposed for a local level PES scheme to preserve forest cover in degraded hills.
Recommendations include:
- target carbon-motivated incentives to areas where water related ecosystem services are delivered (e.g. filtration, flow regulation, storm buffering) and use the carbon market to support conservation efforts
- the carbon market will only contribute to the sustainable development of forest landscapes when the governance structures ensure an equitable distribution of benefits
- institutional capacity needs to be strengthening if carbon-related opportunities are to be seized;
- create ‘landscape labels’ that can be used to market different goods and services provided in a given area;
- the landscape level integration of different ecosystem goods and services could serve as a means of capturing tourism related benefits;
