Methodology for payment for ecosystem services based on the concept of land use and management capability

Global population growth drives the increase in demand for water and food. Consequently, there is a build-up of pressure for land use for agricultural production, creating the necessity of sacrificing areas previously occupied by the native land cover to create production areas. However, globally, the possibilities of agricultural frontier expansion are limited, and agricultural expansion activities conducted without adequate planning can accelerate the erosive processes that decrease the potential land production capability. In an attempt to attenuate environmental imbalances, payment for ecosystem services (PES) programmes have been created, highlighting the possibility of their being applied in the agricultural sector. This study developed a methodology for PES that follows the basic principles of the land use capability classification system proposed by the United States Department of Agriculture. However, the study aimed to make the classification process operational in a way that notes the conditions in which a rural property maintains its production capability without jeopardizing its environmental role. In this way, it is possible to evaluate whether a rural property is suitable to receive PES. To detail the steps for applying the methodology, a case study was conducted on a rural property in the town of Itabira, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.