Carlos Montes, is Full Professor of Ecology at the Universidad Autónoma of Madrid and head of the Laboratory of social-ecological systems (www.uam.es/socioecosistemas). He is President of the university Foundation Fernando Gonzalez Bernáldez for the study and management of protected areas (www.uam.es/fungobe) and Director of the School of Sustainability of International University of Andalucía (www.unia.es/sostenibilidad). He is chief scientific adviser of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in Spain (www.ecomilenio.es). His research is focussing on the interface between ecological and socioeconomic systems. This includes function-analysis and valuation of ecosystem services, territorial planning and sustainability and resilience of social-ecological systems.