Table 1.

Enabling conditions that facilitate the success of ES projects, as suggested by qualitative reviews of projects

Attributes of knowledge	Process	Contextual conditions	Reference
Clear science about ES, interactions between services, and how proposed actions may affect services	A confined system with clearly identified stewards, perpetrators of negative impacts, and service beneficiaries	Good governance in terms of clearly defined ownership or tenure, a legal system, capacity to enforce laws and monitor impacts, and a functioning infrastructure to support projects	25
A clear policy question; A clear presentation of methods, assumptions, and limitations	Strong stakeholder engagement; Effective communications and access to decision-makers	Good governance; Local demand for valuation; Economic dependence on resources; High levels of threats to coastal resources	51
Policy question; Pertinent data; Integration of local and traditional knowledge	Meaningful participation and engagement with diverse groups; Joint knowledge production; Iterative process; Scenario development	Capacity to measure ES; Established planning process; Policy window	13, 24, and 28