Opportunities for improving the use of an ecosystem services approach in land-use planning: experiences of professionals in Florida

This research explores the use of an Ecosystem Services (ES) approach as a land-use planning tool, its perceived benefits and challenges, and opportunities for improvement. For this study, in-depth interviews were used with 21 professionals who had been involved in projects in which ecosystem services were valuated, quantified, and/ or described in Florida. Three categories of obstacles are identified that hinder the integration of an ES approach in land-use planning. These categories are 1) method complexity; 2) communication of results; and, 3) support for ES efforts. Based on the interviewees' experiences, options to address these challenges are proposed.