New ecosystems services software for urban freshwater environments

If you’re an environmental practitioner who needs to identify, measure and assess Ecosystem Services (ESS) especially in urban freshwater environments, this could pique your interest.

The DESSIN ESS software tool – used for supporting ecosystem services assessments and cost-benefit analysis of measures to improve environmental quality – is now available. Developed in collaboration between DHI and the EU DESSIN project, the software tool is part of the project’s aim to demonstrate innovative solutions for water management. One of the first steps to achieve this is by measuring and valuing ESS, which is made simpler by the DESSIN software.

Ecosystem services are services provided by nature to humans. A better understanding of ESS values can help us assess the benefits using innovative technologies to improve water quality and ensure its availability. If we can measure ESS changes, we can translate the impacts on ecosystems to impacts on human welfare. This also allows us to broaden the scope of cost-benefit analysis while stimulating the update of innovative technologies to strengthen water management.

Watch this video to know more.

Download for free

The DESSIN ESS tool is part of DHI’s MIKE OPERATIONS application. Here’s how to install it – with a free license:

• Download and install DHI’s MIKE OPERATIONS software. This will install MIKE Workbench, which is the software program that runs the DESSIN ESS tool.
• Obtain a free license for MIKE OPERATIONS from mike@dhigroup.com.
• Follow the instructions in the DESSIN user guide to get started.