Authors: Lucius, Irene;Ereifej, Laurice; Perosa, Francesca;Hristov, Ivan;

Policy makers and businesses are still regarding nature restoration and protected areas management as a cost, not as an investment that is generating values. The paper outlines monetary valuation of the fish and biomass provisioning ecosystem service from restoration investments in protected areas Persina Island, Kalimok and Kaikusha wetlands in Bulgaria. The results are as follows: the increased water supply of the areas contributed to the enhancement of carp nursery habitats, resulting in increased adult carp landings for local fishermen while the potential biomass provisioning services - palletization of harvested reed and use as fuel - also increased. This example is compared to ecosystem service assessments for selected floodplains along the rivers Tisza in Hungary and the floodplain community Bistret in Romania on the Lower Danube, both candidates for restoration measures. The feasibility of market utilization of these ecosystem services and their implications to water management and climate change adaptation policies and implementations are discussed and evaluated.