Ecosystem markets take off.

• Author: Block, Ben
• Position: EYE ON EARTH - Brief article

Ecosystem markets, exchanges of nature's various services, are on the rise. By assigning an economic value to services such as erosion control and clean water, these approaches allow countries to use the "invisible hand" of commerce to protect biodiversity, habitats, and water supplies.

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With biodiversity banks, for example, landowners who cannot legally develop their property because of the presence of an endangered species or a wetland can collect payments or...