Leveraging Payments for Ecosystem Services

The document outlines the ecological and cultural value of the Poplar River First Nation's (PRFN) traditional territory and proposes a framework for Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) to fund nature-based solutions and community economic diversification.

• The Poplar River First Nation (PRFN) manages 862,000 hectares of traditional territory known as Asatiwisipe Aki, which is part of the 29,040 square kilometre Pimachiowin Aki UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The PRFN territory provides significant carbon sequestration services; total stored carbon in Asatiwisipe Aki, including wetlands, is estimated at 444 million tonnes.
• Water resources in the territory contribute to the energy grid of Manitoba, as local water flows feed into Lake Winnipeg, which is used for hydropower electricity.
• The economic value of ecosystem services in Pimachiowin Aki is estimated to be 28 times greater than the public expenditure required for its conservation.
• The territory supports high biodiversity, including 376 vertebrate species, with birds making up 80% of local vertebrates.
• The report provides a draft PES Benefit-Sharing Agreement to structure payments for the maintenance of benefits such as biodiversity conservation, water supply, and reduced emissions from deforestation.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2020). Leveraging Payments for Ecosystem Services. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/payments-ecosystem-services-prfn.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Leveraging Payments for Ecosystem Services. 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/payments-ecosystem-services-prfn.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Leveraging Payments for Ecosystem Services |date=February 2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/payments-ecosystem-services-prfn.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2020leveraging, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Leveraging Payments for Ecosystem Services}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/payments-ecosystem-services-prfn.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }