In July 2007, USAID and the SANREM CRSP sponsored short seminar to introduce USAID Washington personnel to payments for ecosystem services (PES) and to invite attendees to participate in an upcoming day-long workshop on PES in October 2007. Speakers included Bruce Byers of ARD Inc. and Swen Wunder of CIFOR. Bruce Byers' presentation introduced the concept of ecosystem services and mechanisms including PES that can be used to protect and/or restore ecosystem services. Swen Wunder's presentation defines the principles of PES, compares PES with alternative conservation and environmental protection mechanisms, and then discusses the pros and cons of PES as an environmental protection tool. Their presentations follow:

• "Defining ecosystem services and development mechanisms to promote their conservation" – Bruce Byers, ARD Inc.
• "Hot potatoes in the Payments for Environmental Services debate" – Sven Wunder, senior economist, Center for International Forestry Research