Getting started before you begin: Experiences from environmental service benefit transfer schemes in Indonesia

'Payment for environmental services' (PES), or what we refer to in this paper as 'rewards for environmental services', is recognised as an innovative scheme to achieve the dual goals of environmental conservation and poverty alleviation in developing countries. This concept has attracted attention since the turn of the century, with many initiatives implemented at pilot sites throughout Indonesia. The importance of the dual objectives in the Indonesian context means a PES scheme has to be adapted to local conditions. This paper will discuss the experiences and lessons learnt from implementing environmental service (ES) transfer benefit schemes developed in Indonesia.