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The ecosystem services concept offers an interdisciplinary approach to the integrative study of both socio-economical and ecological systems. The sediment retention service is mentioned among the regulation ecosystem services in all the main international classifications (MA, TEEB, CICES). It refers to the capacity of ecosystems to regulate the quantity of eroded sediment reaching the stream network, and thus delivering benefits like maintaining soil and water quality and reservoir functions. This paper aims to assess the link between possible land cover changes and the sediment retention service provided by the vegetation cover. The analysis focuses on a mountain landscape from the upper catchment of Râul Târgului, Iezer Mountains in the Romanian Carpathians. To this purpose, we considered recent changes in the forest landscape (2005-2012) and, with the participation of local administrative stakeholders …