Ecosystem Markets: Making Them Work
Conservation professionals across the country are looking for innovative strategies to protect and restore ecosystems. One of the most promising is the development of new markets that create value for ecosystems and the services they provide. But many developmental issues remain before ecosystem markets achieve their full potential as a priority conservation tool. In an effort to bring together woodland owners and conservation professionals, the American Forest Foundation hosts an annual conference focused on these very issues.
2010 Conference – Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Registration Coming Soon! Using markets to protect and restore ecosystems – and the many services they provide – is gradually becoming a reality. But what are the critical elements for success? What progress has been made? What still needs to be done? What are the remaining challenges?
At this 3rd annual national conference, presented by the American Forest Foundation and World Resources Institute, you will hear from national and regional experts, innovators, and hands-on users of these evolving market models in a dialogue about:
- Recent progress in developing markets
- What transactions can be done now
- Strategies for scaling markets
- How these markets will affect family forests and other landowners
- How state and regional efforts can merge into a common model
Join market designers, regulators, buyers, sellers, investors, NGOs, resource professionals, and other service providers in addressing these and other emerging issues. Topics will include:
- The state of market development
- The business opportunity
- Regional perspectives
- Multi-credit markets and bundling
- Policy issues in market design
- Making regulatory markets work
- Progress in developing market tools
- Moving forward with voluntary markets
- Case studies of actual projects & lessons learned
PLUS: Post-Conference “Community of Practice” Meeting on Wednesday afternoon
- and -
Optional Field Trip and Site Visits on Thursday morning
Why Attend - Gain an up-to-date perspective on the status and trajectory of ecosystem markets.
- Learn what it takes to design effective projects and transactions.
- Meet and network with leading experts, colleagues, potential partners, and customers.
- Participate at the forefront of the ecosystem markets movement!
Who Should Attend - Environmental service providers - Property developers - Forest & farm owners and managers
- Natural resource agencies - Industrial facility managers - Consultants, engineers, lawyers
- Wastewater & water district managers - Financiers & Investors - Federal land managers
- Ecosystem researchers - Local planners & regulators - Public interest groups
PAST CONFERENCES: 2009 Conference – Portland, Oregon To advance the creation of ecosystem markets, the American Foundation and Northwest Environmental Business Council (NEBC) co-hosted a national leadership conference in the summer of 2009.
Learn what 200 experts had to say about ecosystem markets. 2008 Workshop – Ellicot City, Maryland The inaugural market-based conservation incentives workshop was held in Ellicot City, Maryland and drew over 100 participants. The summary of the workshop with notes, speeches, audio recordings, and presentations from the two-day event can be found
here. 
