The Obama Administration recently released a new memorandum directing Federal agencies to factor the value of ecosystem services into Federal planning and decision-making:  “Our natural world provides critical contributions that support and protect our communities and economy. For instance, Louisiana’s coastal wetlands provide billions of dollars worth of flood protection and other benefits. Preserving and restoring forests in the Catskill Mountains enables New York City to access clean water at a cost several times less than the cost of building a new water-filtration plant. And current efforts to plant trees along Oregon’s salmon-rich rivers will improve local water quality – saving costs associated with installing expensive machinery to achieve the same purpose.”  Read Full Release via https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/10/07/incorporating-natural-infrastructure-and-ecosystem-services-federal-decision-making