Abstract:
This
report
presents
the
results
of
three
business
engagement
focus
groups
conducted
in
March
2013.
The
primary
purpose
of
the
focus
groups
was
to
determine
corporate
interest
in
sponsoring
payment
for
ecosystem
service
programs.
A
secondary
purpose
was
to
determine
local
business
interest
in
supporting
a
voluntary
incentive
program
for
watershed
services
being
developed
by
a
local
utility
to
protect
source
water
quality.
These
focus
groups
are
part
of
a
larger
research
project
analyzing
the
potential
for
utilities
to
act
as
local
Payment
for
Ecosystem
Services
(PES)
marketplace
drivers.
The
research
included
three
focus
groups
with
a
total
of
17
business
participants
from
the
Eugene
Springfield
area.