ABSTRACT
While modelling can be kept at a minimum at the local scale, it is a vital component of ecosystem assessment at the regional scale. Most of the well-tested software packages for modelling ecosystem services are designed for the regional scale, such as Integrated Valuation of Environmental Services and Tradeoffs, Artificial Intelligence for Ecosystem Services or social values for ecosystem services. Increasingly, indicators are used to estimate ecosystem services. There are a number of reasons why the intermediate scale is relevant for assessments, and some have even suggested that the term "landscape services" is more appropriate than "ecosystem services". Out of all ecosystem services, cultural services are probably the ones that are the most difficult to model, as they are less prominently driven by physical properties of ecosystems. The proposed decision framework can serve as a check-list for land managers seeking the 'right' model to assess ecosystem services.
