The wealth of nature : ecosystem services, biodiversity, and human well-being / Jeffrey A. McNeely, Russell A. Mittermeier, Thomas M. Brooks, Frederick Boltz, Neville Ash.

Includes bibliographical references.

From the Preface: 'How many of the comforts we enjoy and the products we use come courtesy of Nature's seemingly infinite warehouse of services? Bees pollinate the cereals we eat for breakfast, forests and wetlands purify the water that we drink, and the trees in our yards trap pollutants from the air we breathe. All of these benefits, as well as our fuels and natural medicines and countless others, come to us, free of charge, from our planet's healthy ecosystems. As societies expand, however, we often lose sight of the intimate links between the health of Nature and our own well-being. How do we come to value the many services Nature provides that are necessary for our survival? And, perhaps most importantly, how do we maintain the full array of ecological services necessary for future generations to thrive?' This book provides an authoritative and beautifully illustrated survey of the wide range of ecosystem services. It has been produced in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Conservation International (CI) and the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP).