Pollutant filtration, erosion protection, recreation, food and timber production - nature and landscapes provide benefits to human life in various ways. These utility values are unified under the framework concept of ecosystem services. Through appropriate assessment and evaluation studies, it is essential to measure the value of the natural environment to incorporate it into practical land use decisions. German environmental research is increasingly focusing on the task of integrating the diverse ecosystem services into political and operational strategies. This book addresses the necessary conditions to transfer the concept of ecosystem services from a scientific guiding idea to a decision-making aid in practical resource use contexts, using a social science approach.