This project consists mainly of workshops covering different aspects of Ecosystems Services Research. The workshops are in English and at least one key researcher from abroad, specialised in that topic, will be invited to give a key note speech The format of the workshop (presentations, debate, brainstorming sessions) can vary, depending on the objectives of the workshop. After the workshop, the coordinator will make a text summarizing the workshop as a chapter for a report. This chapter will be distributed to all participants who contributed to the workshop and will be co-authored by them. It is very likely that the workshops will also lead to more intense bilateral communications with experts from outside the project consortium.
It is our profound belief that advances on ES research cannot only depend on large-scale initiatives and a top-down knowledge transfer. Like ecosystem services, there are scaling issues involved. The ecosystems in our region might differ from those in other regions, both in terms of ecological aspects as from a socio-economical viewpoint. To put Belgian research on ecosystem services on the international map, there is a need to structure and focus the research initiatives within the Belgian context. Our cluster initiative aims to:

A ► Bring together key scientists, policy makers and organisations that are either already involved with ES-research or who might catalyse the ES-research.
B ► Make an inventory on the ES expertise (a who’s doing what).
C ► To get a state of the art of ecosystem service related research in Belgium and to bring forward a methodology that could be used as a basis for an ecosystem assessment of Belgium.
D ► Evaluate the opportunity to establish a “virtual” research institute on ES research in Belgium, covering the necessary expertise to contribute to large international research initiatives.
E ► Formulate recommendations for scientific programmes and policy objectives.   
 In First stance we make an inventory of existing expertise. Past and present projects that are related to Ecosystem services are included in the BioBel research database. By use of this inventory, we are capable to invite all relevant actors at a series of workshops that deal with specific aspects on ES-research.   A first workshop covers the inventory outcome and aims to identify which ES need to be prioritised n the Belgian context. Indirectly this determined which ecosystems and processes have research priority for research and monitoring of ES.  The second workshop covers the state of art in terms of methods to assess the variability and heterogeneity of ES-delivery on different scales. ES are delivered by complex interactions, processes and mechanisms that occur on different spatial scales and temporal dimensions (seconds, hours, days, …years). In addition, the demand for ES is also dependent on spatial and temporal dimensions. Knowledge on this subject is crucial to determine the quantity and timing of effective ES-delivery. The third workshop has a specific focus on the role of biodiversity on the generation of ES. Biodiversity in all its aspects (habitat-diversity, abiotic diversity, species etc…) has a positive effect on ES. Through which mechanisms does biodiversity promote ES, what are the most crucial aspects and how to evaluate biodiversity in the ES-context? The fourth workshop deals with valuation methods for ES. Which methods are most suitable and how do we deal with spatial and temporal aspects in the valuation of ES? How do we value biodiversity and the option value of potential ES? The fifth workshop brings the attention to the impact of international trade of ES. Mostly unaware, we are all intensive users of ES that procure from elsewhere. Also, we are exporting certain ES to other nations. What is the impact and sustainability of these ES-flows? The sixth workshop aims to bridge the gaps between ES-research and policy development. What research is needed and for what policy? How can ES contribute to reaching various policy objectives and challenges? Which institutional, economic and juridical barriers need to be overcome in order to implement the ES-concepts in the different policy domains?