ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors argue that a paradigm shift in how scientists articulate the differences between deeper natural processes and the products of those processes that people use or care about can help to resolve many issues within the ecosystem service community. They explores distinctions between nature's benefits and human beneficiaries of nature, and how seemingly slight differences in the definition of ecosystem services can lead to vastly different outcomes. The authors adopt a beneficiary approach by expressing ecosystem services in terms of use-user combinations, as opposed to a benefits approach, which lists myriad potential uses of ecosystem services while implying, but in no way empirically identifying, users. They propose that a beneficiary approach promotes the practicality and feasibility necessary for achieving ecosystem service research and policy objectives, including measuring, mapping, and valuing ecosystem services. The National Ecosystem Services Classification System begins from an economic perspective and offers more flexibility on the beneficiary side by separating uses from users.
