Ecosystem services and urban and regional planning

When trying to assess the ecosystem services of natural resources the usual vision is always based on qualitative approaches. We all know how important the environmental services are and that they are worth protecting and restoring. But it is really difficult to compare the costs, which can be easily revealed in monetary terms, to the benefits, which are always in the abstract world of ideas. Actually, it is impossible to compare apples to oranges. It would be of huge utility for planning and managing to have tools that bridge this gap. A quantitative approach is needed for a better spatial planning and a more efficient management of natural resources.