This publication is a response to the widely expressed interest within the conservation and development communities for an evaluation of practical experience in applying models that aim to conserve ecosystem processes in human-exploited landscapes as a means of conserving biodiversity and securing the sustainable use of natural resources. The development and benefits of ecological networks in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Peru and Bolivia, the Congo basin (Cameroon, Gabon and Congo), Russia, Central America, North America, Nepal, and the Netherlands, are illustrated.