Novel business models and mechanisms for the sustainable supply of and payment for forest ecosystem services

The objectives of NOBEL are (i) to develop business models and mechanisms to internalise the socio-economic value of forest ecosystems, (ii) combine public policy tools with business models for implementing payments for forest ecosystem services (FES) at multiple levels of forest management and administration, and (iii) demonstrate and compare alternative approaches for payments in 6 pilot demonstrations in Europe. NOBEL will explore the requirements for disseminating spatial information for the development of business models and innovative policies for the provision of FES. In NOBEL three types of business models will be considered a) private households or businesses companies directly pay providers for the provision of FES , b) Business companies pay providers for the FES and pass the costs to their clients, and b) government pays providers for the FES and pass the costs to consumers via taxes or fees. In implementing these business models, alternative mechanisms for the payments (e.g. voluntary payments, natural capital markets) will be explored. A web-based auctioning platform and a spatial information platform will be developed to support the design of business models. For the prediction and optimization of multiple FES a framework of indicators will be designed and available forest ecosystem models will be applied in pilot demonstrations. Management practices, stakeholder attitudes and consumer behaviour will be discussed at European and regional level with policy makers, providers and beneficiaries. The demands for the provision of FES resulting from existing policies will be identified and the governance settings of successful business models will be analysed.