Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST)

InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs) is a computer software tool that helps quantify and analyze the benefits nature provides to people, such as clean water, food, and carbon storage. It allows users to evaluate how different land-use choices or policies impact ecosystem services and trade-offs—for example, how converting forests to agriculture might increase food production but reduce habitat. This helps decision-makers understand the environmental and economic consequences of their actions, promoting sustainable planning that balances human needs with ecosystem health.