end it ures , ▁protect ▁the ▁environment ▁and ▁improve ▁quality ▁of ▁life . ▁ ▁Water ▁and ▁e cos ystem ▁services ▁ ▁The ▁water ▁and ▁e cos ystem ▁services ▁section ▁of ▁sust ain ability ▁works ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁natural ▁resources ▁are ▁conser ved ▁in ▁a ▁way ▁that ▁allows ▁for ▁current ▁and ▁future ▁gener ations ▁to ▁have ▁access ▁to ▁them . ▁It ▁also ▁works ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁balance ▁between ▁these ▁natural ▁resources ▁and ▁economic ▁and ▁social ▁interests . ▁Agricult ure ▁stands ▁as ▁a ▁huge ▁industry ▁throughout ▁the ▁world , ▁and ▁the ▁E PA ▁works ▁with ▁the ▁agricult ural ▁sector ▁to ▁help ▁them ▁meet ▁reg ulations ▁on ▁their ▁comp li ances ▁by ▁pract icing ▁sust ain able ▁management . ▁The ▁E PA ▁has ▁developed ▁a ▁program ▁called ▁the ▁E colog ical ▁Research ▁Program ▁which ▁conduct s ▁research ▁that ▁focus es ▁on ▁e cos ystem ▁services . ▁They ▁are ▁hoping ▁that ▁sust ain ability ▁efforts ▁and ▁ste ward ship ▁will ▁be ▁promoted ▁as ▁these ▁services ▁are ▁discovered . ▁The ▁project ▁is ▁also ▁working ▁to ▁create ▁indic ators ▁for ▁the ▁assess ment ▁and ▁identification ▁of ▁e cos ystem ▁services . ▁The ▁hope ▁is ▁that ▁this ▁research ▁will ▁allow ▁decision ▁mak ers ▁to ▁better ▁understand ▁the ▁value ▁of ▁particular ▁e cos ystem s ▁and ▁work ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁ste ward ship ▁of ▁the ▁land . ▁ ▁Under ▁E PA ▁Administr ator ▁William ▁K . ▁Re illy , ▁President ’ s ▁George ▁H . ▁Bush ’ s ▁app o inte e , ▁so - called ▁placed - based ▁initi atives