The UK National Ecosystem Assessment (UK NEA) is the first analysis of the UK’s natural environment in terms of the benefits it provides to society and continuing economic prosperity. It is based around the processes that link human societies and their well being with the environment and emphasizes the role of ecosystems in providing services that bring well-being to people. The UK NEA provided a significant step forward in understanding trends in the delivery of ecosystem services, the drivers of these trends and the likely consequences for human well-being. It delivered a wealth of information on the state, value (economic and social) and possible future of ecosystems across the UK.