InVEST® User Guide

The Natural Capital Alliance advances science and creates actionable tools to bring the values of nature into decisions. Our work is inspired by, created with, and implemented through our broader global network of more than 150 research organizations and more than 350 practitioner organizations in the public and private sectors. For a list of NatCap Alliance members visit https://naturalcapitalalliance.stanford.edu/about/global-network.

Suggested citation: Natural Capital Alliance, 2026. InVEST 3.17.2. https://doi.org/10.60793/natcap-invest-3.17.2

Contributors*:

Angarita, Héctor Arkema, Katie Bailey, Allison Bernhardt, Joanna Bhagabati, Nirmal Bierbower, Will Brauman, Kate Bryant, Benjamin Cameron, David Chan, Kai Chaplin-Kramer, Rebecca Chaumont, Nicolas Conte, Marc Daily, Gretchen Davies, Jeremy Davis, Emily Delevaux, Jade Denu, Douglas Douglass, James Eichelberger, Bradley Ennaanay, Driss Faries, Joe Fisher, David Glowinski, Kathryn Goldstein, Jesse Goldstein, Joshua Griffin, Robert

Guannel, Gregory Guerry, Anne Guswa, Andrew Janke, Ben Johnson, Justin Hamel, Perrine Han, Baolong Kareiva, Peter Kennedy, Christina Kim, Choong-Ki Lacayo-Emery, Martin Leon, Jorge Li, Yingjie Lin, Chia-Yi (Joanna) Liu, Hongxiao Lonsdorf, Eric Lozano, Juan Sebastian Mandle, Lisa Mendoza, Guillermo Moritsch, Monica Mueller, Nathan Nelson, Erik Nissel, Megan Nootenboom, Chris Olwero, Nasser Ouyang, Zhiyun Papenfus, Michael

Pennington, Derric Perelman, Adam Polasky, Stephen Reguero, Borja Remme, Roy Ricketts, Taylor Rogers, Lauren Ruckelshaus, Mary Schmitt, Rafael Sharp, Richard Shaw, Rebecca Silver, Jessica Simpson, Claire Soth, Emily Tallis, Heather Tam, Christine Toft, Jodie Underwood, Emma Verutes, Gregory Vogl, Adrian Wolny, Stacie Wood, Spencer Wright, Michael Wyatt, Katherine Qi, Yi Zheng, Hua Ziv, Guy

In addition, we acknowledge the help of hundreds of collaborators co-creating solutions in engagements around the world.

*We do our best to keep this list comprehensive and up to date but recognize we may have inadvertently missed someone. If you do not see your name listed above and think it should be, please contact naturalcapitalalliance@stanford.edu.

Attribution Guidelines

When referring to analyses or data products that were produced with InVEST, please cite the use of InVEST and include a hyperlink (e.g., This analysis used InVEST ^® : https://naturalcapitalalliance.stanford.edu/software/invest). The trademark symbol (^®) should be used at the first mention of InVEST. The full citation for papers, reports, etc. is available above. You are also welcome to use the InVEST logo in line with our Trademark and Logo Use Policy .

Introduction and Getting Started

• Why We Need Tools to Map and Value Ecosystem Services
  • Introduction
  • Who Should Use InVEST?
  • Introduction to InVEST
  • Using InVEST to Inform Decisions
  • A Work in Progress
  • This Guide
• Getting Started
  • Quick Start InVEST Tutorial
  • Installing InVEST Workbench on your Windows computer
  • Installing InVEST Workbench on your Mac
  • Workbench interface
  • Using sample data
  • Formatting your data
  • Running the models
  • Metadata
  • GIS Skills
  • Support and Error Reporting
  • Older InVEST Versions
  • Working with the DEM
• Input Types
  • number
  • ratio
  • percent
  • integer
  • text
  • option
  • true/false
  • CSV
  • raster
  • vector
  • directory
  • file

• Using InVEST
• Data Sources
• Calibrating the InVEST Freshwater Models

InVEST Models

Supporting & Final Ecosystem Services

• Annual Water Yield
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Calibration/Comparison with observed data
  • Appendix 1: Data Sources
  • References
• Carbon Storage and Sequestration
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix: Data Sources
  • References
• Coastal Blue Carbon
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs and Running the Model
  • Example Use-Case
  • Appendix: Global Database of Carbon Values
  • References
• Coastal Vulnerability Model
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting results
  • Appendix 1: Geomorphology definitions
  • Appendix 2: Data Sources
  • References
• Crop Production
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
• Forest Carbon Edge Effect
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix: Data Sources
  • References
• Habitat Quality
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
• Habitat Risk Assessment
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix 1: Connecting HRA Results to Ecosystem Service Models
  • Appendix 2: Comparison to the InVEST Habitat Quality Model
  • References
• NDR: Nutrient Delivery Ratio
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting results
  • Calibration/Comparison with observed data
  • Appendix: Data sources
  • References
• Offshore Wind Energy Production
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix: Data Sources
  • References
• Crop Pollination (Pollinator Abundance)
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix 1: Table of Variables
  • Appendix 2: Data Sources
  • References
• SDR: Sediment Delivery Ratio
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Calibration/Comparison with observed data
  • Appendix 1: Data Sources
  • Appendix 2: Representation of Additional Sources and Sinks of Sediment
  • References
• Seasonal Water Yield
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Calibration/Comparison with observed data
  • Appendix 1: Data sources and guidance for parameter selection
  • Appendix 2: Alpha, beta and gamma parameters - definition and alternative values
  • References
• Scenic Quality
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
• Urban Cooling
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix: Data Sources and Guidance for Parameter Selection
  • FAQs
  • References
• Urban Flood Risk Mitigation
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix: Data sources and Guidance for Parameter Selection
  • References
• Urban Nature Access
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix: Data Sources
  • References
• Urban Stormwater Retention
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Appendix 1: Data Sources and Guidance for Parameter selection
  • Appendix 2: Assessing the Retention Coefficient Adjustment
  • Appendix 3: Differences between InVEST and other models
  • References
• Visitation: Recreation and Tourism
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Running the Model
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
• Wave Energy Production
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Limitations and Simplifications
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Case Example Illustrating Results
  • Appendix: Data Sources
  • References

Additional Tools

• DelineateIt
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • References
• RouteDEM
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • Data Needs
  • References
• Scenario Generator: Proximity Based
  • Summary
  • Introduction
  • The Model
  • Data Needs
  • Interpreting Results
  • Sample Script

Python API

• InVEST Scripting Guide and API
  • Introduction