IPBES

Ecosystem Assessment Flanders

Geographical coverage

Geographical scale of the assessment	Sub-national
Country or countries covered	Belgium
Any other necessary information or explanation for identifying the location of the assessment, including site or region name	The assessment covers the region of Flanders (Northern part of Belgium)

Geographical scale of the assessment

Sub-national

Country or countries covered

Belgium

Any other necessary information or explanation for identifying the location of the assessment, including site or region name

The assessment covers the region of Flanders (Northern part of Belgium)

Conceptual framework, methodology and scope

Assessment objectives

Visualize the benefits that people receive from ecosystems and describe the drivers affecting the demand, supply and use of ecosystem services.
Provide a knowledge base for the sustainable management of ecosystems and their services.
Explore response options for the sustainable management of ecosystems and their services.
Encourage cross-sectoral communication and collaboration in the development of a sustainable management of ecosystems and their services.

Mandate for the assessment

According to the Nature Decree (legislation of the Flemish Government), the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO) is mandated to report biennially on the state of nature in Flanders (Northern part of Belgium). The current reporting cycle is conceived as an ecosystem assessment for Flanders and consists of three successive phases. The first phase (NARA-T) describes the state and trends of ecosystems and their services in Flanders and will be finished by the beginning 2015. The second phase (NARA-B) is an evaluation of ecosystem services related policy in Flanders and will be finished in 2016. The final phase (NARA-S) is a scenario report (end 2018) that will explore future scenarios for green infrastructure in Flanders.

Conceptual framework and/or methodology used for the assessment

Other (please specify)

Own framework, based on ESS-cascade (Haines-Young) but with elements of the MA- and TEEB-frameworks as well.

URL or copy of conceptual framework developed or adapted

http://www.nara.be/conceptueel-raamwerk (in Dutch)

System(s) assessed

Inland water
Forest and woodland
Cultivated/Agricultural land
Grassland
Urban

Species groups assessed

no specific species groups, only ecosystems

Ecosystem services/functions assessed

Provisioning

Food
Water
Timber/fibres
Energy/fuel

Regulating

Air quality
Climate regulation
Moderation of extreme events
Regulation of water flows
Regulation of water quality
Erosion prevention
Pollination
Pest and disease control
Regulation of noise

Supporting Services/Functions

Soil formation and fertility

Cultural Services

Recreation and tourism
Natural surroundings around build-up areas

Scope of assessment includes

Drivers of change in systems and services

Yes

Impacts of change in services on human well-being

Yes

Options for responding/interventions to the trends observed

Yes

Explicit consideration of the role of biodiversity in the systems and services covered by the assessment

Yes

Timing of the assessment

Year assessment started

2012

Year assessment finished

Ongoing

If ongoing, year assessment is anticipated to finish

2018

Periodicity of assessment

One off

Assessment outputs

Website(s)

http://www.nara.be/natuurrapportering-2014-2018

Report(s)

Communication materials (e.g. brochure, presentations, posters, audio-visual media)

Poster Flanders ecosystem assessment - Phase I (2014)
Poster_FLEA_Phase_I.pdf

Poster management structure Flanders ecosystem assessment
Poster_FLEA_management_structure.pdf

Presentation Flanders ecosystem assessment at EU High-Level Conference on Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) in Europe - 22 May 2014 -Brussels
EAF_V08_finaal.ppsm

Journal publications

Training materials

Tools and processes

Tools and approaches used in the assessment

Modelling
Trade-off analysis
Geospatial analysis
Indicators
Scenarios
Economic valuation
Social (non-monetary) valuation

Process used for stakeholder engagement in the assessment process and which component

Stakeholders are consulted during the development of the terms of reference for the different phases of the assessment and are involved in the review proces of the reports

Key stakeholder groups engaged

Flemish administration (departments and executive agencies)
Scientific community
NGO and professional interest groups (e.g. nature conservation organisations, farmer organisation, land owner organisations, …)

The number of people directly involved in the assessment process

Less than 10

Incorporation of scientific and other types of knowledge

Scientific information only
Resource experts (e.g. foresters etc)

Supporting documentation for specific approaches, methodology or criteria developed and/or used to integrate knowledge systems into the assessment

http://www.nara.be/natuurrapporten/natuurrapport-2014/ondersteunende-rapporten

Assessment reports peer reviewed

Yes

Data

Accessibility of data used in assessment

open data access

Policy impact

Impacts the assessment has had on policy and/or decision making, as evidenced through policy references and actions

not yet evaluated

Independent or other review on policy impact of the assessment

Lessons learnt for future assessments from these reviews

not yet available

Capacity building

Capacity building needs identified during the assessment

Actions taken by the assessment to build capacity

Network and sharing experiences, Sharing of data/repatriation of data, Workshops, Communication and awareness raising

How have gaps in capacity been communicated to the different stakeholders

Knowledge generation

Gaps in knowledge identified from the assessment

Knowledge gaps are reported in each of the chapters of the technical report (http://www.nara.be/natuurrapporten/natuurrapport-2014/technisch-rapport)