This study aims to answer questions about the importance and utilization of wetland provisioning ecosystem services (ES) in the disturbed southernmost provinces of Thailand, calling for the need for sustainable wetland management. Generally, natural resources management in the unrest area has been neglected because security-related policies have usually received higher priority. The study surveyed a sample of 328 households to explore the types and importance of provisioning wetland ES that have value to the local people. The statistics used to analyze data are percentage, mean, standard deviation, and calculation of the value of provisioning ES. Quantitative data were presented to a participatory workshop of 22 stakeholders to explore guidelines for wetland management. The results indicate that wetland plays a vital role in the livelihood of the local community by providing a variety of provisioning ES. Nine of the 13 ES addressed in the study were perceived as important to very important by the local people. Based on the guidelines provided by the stakeholders, an initial strategy has been formulated in the study.

When multiple ecosystem services are derived from multiple ecosystems across different policy, planning or management jurisdictions, questions arise regarding the valuation of ecosystem services such as: who are the beneficiaries; how do they value ecosystem services; and who should be the valuing agent? In attempting to achieve an integrated approach to natural resource management in South East Queensland (SEQ), stakeholders have combined their knowledge to develop a framework to identify, measure and value ecosystem services provided by the region. This paper focuses on a methodology trialled to value the ecosystem services derived from the SEQ region in terms of the wellbeing of the SEQ community. The methodology allows flexibility of choice regarding whose values count and who should be the valuing agent. The methodology was trialled with community participants and scientific experts. The building blocks of the Framework can be used to construct different model variants, each of which reveals key characteristics of ecosystem services in SEQ. The approach adopted to value ecosystems and ecosystem services offers scope for decision makers to think more broadly about possible impacts of decisions on the wellbeing of the community and has facilitated the inclusion of ecosystem services in statutory planning policy in SEQ.

Extensive research has been conducted globally into conceptual frameworks for ecosystem services, the most notable being the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (Millennium ecosystem assessment: ecosystems and human well-being; a framework for assessment. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC, pp 51, 53–55, 2005). The South East Queensland (SEQ) Ecosystem Services Framework (Australia) aims to provide the tools to enable government, industry, business, researchers, non-government organizations and land managers to apply the concept of ecosystem services in their planning and management practices. This article describes the Framework and the process that has produced matrices and maps that identify and illustrate the linkages between ecosystems, ecosystem functions, ecosystem services and the community’s well-being. The matrices and maps derived can identify areas in the region where the most ecosystem services are generated. This allows areas to be considered as valuable natural assets of the region, deserving appropriate protection measures or significant offsets if they are diminished or degraded in any way. Although the Framework requires further refinement and ongoing development, the process applied and the products produced has enabled decision makers to turn the concept of ecosystem services into practical application in SEQ.