Ecostack Innovations Limited has developed a methodology and tools that may be used by the authorities for the assessment and quantification of ecosystem services for water catchments in the Maltese Islands. This work is part of the 'LIFE 16 IPE MT 008: Optimising the Implementation of the 2nd River Basin Management Plan in the Malta River Basin District' project which is co-financed by the European Union.

The methodology developed by our team is expected to lead to the categorisation of valley catchments in Malta and Gozo to determine the relative importance of different catchments and sub catchments in delivering key ecosystem services. This is an important step in the development of an understanding of the capacity of ecosystems to provide ecosystem services, the use of arising benefits by society, and the presence of ecosystem service trade-offs.

Once the assessments have been finalised, ecosystem service assessments and the categorisation of catchments are expected to be used as part of the evidence-base necessary to inform management interventions and actions for the sustainable use of the valleys and their ecosystems.