Valuing Ecosystem Services (VES) serves as a collaborative tool, aiding decision-makers, planners, landowners, and managers in crafting projects that harmonize socioeconomics with the natural environment. This initiative was originally introduced to stakeholders in the southern Lake Michigan region in 2014 by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. This introduction was prompted by concerns over VES knowledge gaps − these knowledge gaps have been linked to coastal management challenges, emphasizing the importance of this tool.

We extend our gratitude to our stakeholders including The Nature Conservancy, U. S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center, Save the Dunes, Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission, Dunes Learning Center, Indiana Dunes National Park, Purdue University Department of Biology, and Indiana Dunes State Park. Further details about those who were involved in this project development can be found in Ecosystem Services Valuation in the Indiana Coastal Zone.

Additionally, we express our appreciation to the reviewers who generously contributed their time and expertise to critically read the material to develop the VES resources. Specifically, we acknowledge the valuable insights provided by Irene Miles from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant as well as the Valuing Ecosystem Services in the Indiana Coastal Zone: Literature Review.

Valuing Ecosystem Services received funding from the Lake Michigan Coastal Program and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant.