Identify key elements for your group, and assess its importance and its management/governance from your own perspective

Dependence: A stakeholder’s dependence on ecosystem services refers to the extent to which subsistence, income, and cultural identity depend on natural resources and ecological processes. Low dependence means that the ecosystem services can be replaced without significant difficulty or cost. High dependency refers to a higher degree of irreplaceability of the key element. Therefore, understanding and managing the dependence of stakeholders on ecosystem services is essential for achieving sustainable development and conservation goals.
Access: A stakeholder’s access to ecosystem services refers to their ability to benefit from the natural resources and services provided by ecosystems. If a stakeholder does not have access to these services, their livelihoods and well-being are at risk and they may face poverty, food insecurity and health problems..
Rivalry: The stakeholders’ rivalry in the ecosystem services refers to competition or conflict between individuals or stakeholders over access and use of these services. Rivalry can lead to overuse or depletion of resources, exacerbating environmental degradation and undermining the long-term availability of these services for the community or communities.
Quality of the ecosystem services: Physical, biological and ecological factors that enable the ecosystem to continue to provide the desired service, or for the species, to continue to be viable. (Example: no pollution, presence of juveniles, biodiverse, etc.).
Quantity of the ecosystem services: Amount, volume or size of the ecosystem services or the species (Example: surface of a forest, species population, volume of water stream, etc.).
Threats: Human activities or processes that have impacted, are impacting or may impact the OECM’s key element being assessed.

Rwanda