The proposal has three main goals. The first is to develop a market approach for generating income from tourism and recreation as ecosystem services. The second goal is to create a positive feedback mechanism for each market approach so that money generated contributes to maintaining the resources which provide these and other essential ecosystem services. The third goal is to partner with, or develop institutions for equitably sharing generated incomes with local communities and national governments. Achieving these goals can make landscape scale conservation an economic development strategy.
The user fee system developed by TNC is a market approach to funding parks and preserves. This market approach creates a positive feedback mechanism between user fee levels, demand, and the health of the protected area ecosystem.