Search Results (72)

Cultural ecosystem services (CES) play a vital role in rural well-being, yet their spatial patterns and local perceptions remain underexplored in many regions, including Türkiye. This study aims to assess the social values of CES in rural landscapes by focusing on the Şarkikaraağaç and Yenişarbademli districts of Isparta Province. Using Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS) and the Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES) models, we collected and analyzed spatial data from 836 community surveys, mapping 3771 CES value points. Sentinel-2A imagery and derived indices (NDVI, NDWI, SAVI, NDBI) were used to classify landscape infrastructures into green, blue, yellow, and grey categories. The results show that aesthetic and recreational services were most highly valued, followed by biodiversity, spiritual, and therapeutic values. Chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests revealed significant demographic and spatial variation in CES preferences, while Principal Component Analysis highlighted two key dimensions of value perception. MaxEnt-based modeling within SolVES confirmed the spatial distribution of CES with high predictive accuracy (AUC > 0.93). Our findings underscore the importance of integrating CES into sustainable land-use planning and suggest that infrastructure type and proximity to natural features significantly influence CES valuation in rural settings. Full article

As research on national cultural parks advances, the significance of conducting multi-dimensional perception evaluations of their cultural ecosystem services (CESs) becomes increasingly apparent. This study examines the eight dimensions of CESs within the Grand Canal National Cultural Park from the perspective of soundscape preference. Using Tongzhou Grand Canal Forest Park as a case study, five categories of soundscapes comprising 19 sound sources were identified through the analysis of online textual data. This study then collected public preferences and perceptions of these five soundscapes via on-site questionnaires and analyzed the data using SPSS26 for correlation and IPA analyses. The results indicate that the overall evaluation of the park’s CESs is positive. There is a significant mutual influence between soundscape preference and CES perception. Specifically, the preference for natural soundscape significantly impacts the evaluation of each CES dimension, while satisfaction with leisure and entertainment is positively correlated with preferences for all types of soundscapes. Additionally, there are notable differences in soundscape preference among different age groups. These findings not only enhance our understanding of soundscape planning in national cultural parks but also provide valuable guidance for their management and design. Full article

The increasing development of coal mining subsidence wetland parks has led to a growing focus on assessing their ecological, economic, and social benefits following ecological restoration. This study establishes an assessment framework for the social landscape performance of coal mining subsidence wetland parks based on the landscape performance series (LPS), cultural ecosystem services (CES), and the unique characteristics of coal mining subsidence wetland parks. The framework integrates expert opinions and field research to select indicators, resulting in a comprehensive evaluation system comprising 28 indicators across five dimensions. Taking the Pan’an Lake National Wetland Park (PLNWP) in Xuzhou, China, as an example, we conducted empirical research by collecting data through questionnaires and on-site interviews. Using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, the social landscape performance score of PLNWP was 3.511, which is rated as “good.” The importance–performance analysis (IPA) was applied to identify differences in the perceptions of visitors and local residents regarding the social landscape performance of the PLNWP. Local residents highlighted the need to enhance the amenity of waterside spaces, while visitors focused on the accessibility. Finally, based on the performance score and the perceptions from different stakeholders, optimization strategies were proposed in four aspects: enhancing waterside space amenity, optimizing accessibility, improving educational facilities, and addressing diverse user needs. This study could provide a feasible assessment framework and optimization guidance for other coal mining subsidence wetland parks. Full article

Cultural ecosystem services (CES) in urban parks, as a vital component of urban ecosystem services (ES), are increasingly recognized as an important tool for advancing urban sustainability and implementing nature-based solutions (NbS). The supply–demand relationship of CES in urban parks is strongly shaped by sociocultural and spatial geographic factors, playing a crucial role in optimizing urban landscape structures and enhancing residents’ well-being. However, current research generally lacks adaptive evaluation frameworks and quantitative methods, particularly for cities with significant spatial and cultural diversity. To address this gap, this study examines the central district of Lhasa as a case study to develop a CES supply–demand evaluation framework suitable for plateau river valley cities. The study adopts the spatial integration analysis method to establish an indicator system centered on “recreational potential–recreational opportunities” and “social needs–material needs,” mapping the spatial distribution and matching characteristics of supply and demand at the community scale. The results reveal that: (1) in terms of supply–demand balance, 25.67% of communities experience undersupply, predominantly in the old city cluster, while 16.22% experience oversupply, mainly in key development zones, indicating a notable supply–demand imbalance; (2) in terms of supply–demand coupling coordination, 55.11% and 38.14% of communities are in declining and transitional stages, respectively. These communities are primarily distributed in near-mountainous and peripheral urban areas. Based on these findings, four urban landscape optimization strategies are proposed: culturally driven urban park development, demand-oriented park planning, expanding countryside parks along mountain ridges, and revitalizing existing parks. These results provide theoretical support and decision-making guidance for optimizing urban park green space systems in plateau river valley cities. Full article

As a vital bridge linking human well-being with ecological processes, cultural ecosystem services (CESs) play a pivotal role in understanding the equilibrium of social–ecological systems. However, the spatial supply–demand relationships of CESs remain underexplored in rapidly urbanizing regions. This study establishes an integrated framework by synthesizing multi-source geospatial data, socioeconomic indicators, and the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model to investigate the spatial dynamics of CESs in Taiyuan City. Key findings include the following: (1) A pronounced spatial heterogeneity in CES supply distribution, exhibiting a core-to-periphery diminishing gradient, with inverse correlations observed among different CES categories. (2) Accessibility, topographic features, and fractional vegetation cover emerged as primary drivers of spatial supply differentiation, while climatic factors and elevation exerted non-negligible influences on this Loess Plateau urban system. (3) Four spatial mismatch patterns were identified through the supply–demand analysis: high supply–high demand (38.1%), low supply–low demand (37.2%), low supply–high demand (13.6%), and high supply–low demand (10.9%). The coupling coordination degree of CESs in Taiyuan City indicated moderate coordination, with severe imbalances observed in urban–rural transitional zones. This study reveals nonlinear interactions between natural landscapes and anthropogenic factors in shaping CES spatial distributions, particularly the trade-offs between esthetic value and transportation constraints. By integrating big data and spatial modeling, this research advances CES quantification methodologies and provides actionable insights for optimizing green infrastructure, prioritizing ecological restoration, and balancing urban–rural CES provision. These outcomes address methodological gaps in coupled social–ecological system research while informing practical spatial governance strategies. Full article

Urbanization has significantly transformed ecological landscapes and created challenges in sustaining both environmental functionality and cultural values. In response, China’s Sponge City Infrastructure (SPI) aims to enhance urban water resilience by integrating green and blue infrastructure. While the ecological benefits of SPI have been widely studied, the cultural ecosystem services (CES) it provides remain underexplored. This study systematically reviews 61 empirical articles to evaluate how CES has been addressed in SPI-related research. Bibliometric analysis was conducted to identify CES research trends and to systematically categorize CES types, assessment methods, and evaluation indicators in SPI-related studies. The findings reveal a dominant use of non-monetary assessment methods, led by questionnaire surveys (47.5%), while monetary approaches were rarely applied. However, several limitations were identified, including the geographic concentration of studies in a few major cities, the scarcity of research on abstract CES categories (e.g., inspiration and sense of place), and the lack of measurable indicators in nearly half of the reviewed studies. To address these issues, this study proposes a context-specific CES assessment framework aligned with China’s socio-cultural conditions and planning priorities in sponge city development. The framework, based on the reviewed literature, provides a preliminary tool for evaluating CES in sponge city contexts. This work contributes to the integration of cultural ecosystem services into urban ecological planning and offers insights for sustainable development in rapidly urbanizing regions. Full article

This study investigates how residents of Jeollabuk-do, South Korea perceive and emphasize forest ecosystem services, focusing on whether the distribution of forests between the eastern mountainous areas and the western lowlands influences their preferences. We applied the Choice Experiment (CE) method to gauge willingness to pay (WTP) for seven key forest ecosystem services and a tax-related attribute. Between 10 and 14 August 2023, we conducted an online survey with 400 participants (out of 4177 invited). Only 20% of respondents were aged 50 or older, despite this age group making up nearly half of the region’s population. On the surface, no significant statistical differences appeared between the two areas regarding overall preferences, perhaps unsurprising, given their shared administrative framework and cultural background. However, a closer look at marginal WTP values uncovered clear regional priorities: residents in the eastern region placed a higher value on erosion control (KRW 23,559–33,109), while those in the west assigned greater priority to biodiversity improvement (KRW 30,225–43,961). Although the sheer distribution of forests may not drastically reshape general preferences, the specific forest characteristics of each area still shape what people care about most. These insights underscore the significance of tailoring forest ecosystem management policies to fit local needs, such as prioritizing erosion control in hilly regions and enhancing biodiversity in flatter areas. Full article

Amid rapid urbanization, cities are becoming increasingly compact, leading to intensified land resource constraints and environmental pressures. As a result, urban parks and green spaces have emerged as critical areas for providing cultural ecosystem services (CESs). However, the spatial distribution of CES supply and demand within urban green spaces remains significantly unbalanced, necessitating precise identification and quantification of CES supply–demand patterns to enhance ecosystem service efficiency. This study uses Nanjing, China, as a case study to develop an indicator framework for urban green space CES supply and demand, leveraging multi-source data. By employing spatial autocorrelation analysis (Bivariate Moran’s I) and a coupling coordination model, this research systematically assesses the spatial patterns of CESs in urban parks and green spaces. The results indicate that the overall CES supply–demand coordination in Nanjing exhibits a “high in the city center, low at the edges, and mismatched in the suburbs” pattern. Specifically, while 9.71% of the areas demonstrate well-matched CES supply and demand, 4.14% of the areas experience insufficient CES demand, and 3.66% face CES supply shortages, primarily in the urban outskirts, leading to a mismatch in green space distribution. This study further reveals the spatial heterogeneity of CES supply–demand matching across different urban districts. Based on these findings, this research proposes optimization strategies to improve CES allocation, providing a scientific basis for urban green space ecosystem service management and promoting the sustainable development of cities. Full article

Cultural ecosystem services (CESs) reflect the interaction between ecosystems and human well-being. Owing to constraints in data availability and existing methodological limitations, deriving information from non-material ecosystem attributes was inadequate. We took Yulin City, located in the northern Shaanxi Loess Plateau, as a case study. Based on open-source geospatial data and user interaction data from social media, a coupled multi-source model was applied to elucidate the spatial distribution of CESs’ supply–demand flow. The Maxent and LDA model were utilized to quantify CES supply–demand, whereas the breakpoint and gravity model were applied to explain the direction and intensity of CES flow. The results indicated the following: (1) aesthetic was the most perceivable CES in Yulin, with 27% high supply areas and four demand topics. And the perception of the educational CES was the least pronounced, with only 2% of high supply areas and two demand topics. (2) Yulin exhibited a notable mismatching in CES supply–demand, with the supply–demand matching area constituting only approximately 10%. In the center of the city, CESs displayed a spatial pattern of a supply–demand deficit, while areas farther from the city center presented a spatial pattern of a supply–demand surplus. (3) The flow of CESs followed a pattern of movement from peripheral counties to central counties and from less developed counties to more developed counties. We proposed the following targeted recommendations: introducing low-perception CESs to promote the enhancement of ecosystem services (ESs); and alleviating CES supply–demand mismatches by enhancing transportation accessibility and protecting the ecological environment. Simultaneously, attention should be directed towards the developmental disparities between counties, providing differentiated guidance for CES spatial flow. Our study provided a theoretical foundation for understanding CES supply–demand flow and offered scientific insights for the spatial development of urban CES. Full article

Cultural ecosystem services (CES) provided by 12 major urban parks on the Macau Peninsula were quantitatively evaluated using social media data. Furthermore, the potential implications of these findings for cultural heritage preservation and landscape design optimization were investigated. A CES evaluation framework consisting of six dimensions was established. User-generated content (UGC) was then collected using web-crawling techniques. A sentiment analysis based on natural language processing (NLP) and a spatial clustering analysis were subsequently performed on the collected data. Significant differences between CES dimensions were identified across Macau’s urban parks (F = 19.45, p < 0.01). Among the CES dimensions, esthetic appreciation (M = 76.04) and landscape experience (M = 72.47) received the highest scores. Moreover, landscape experience was found to have the strongest influence on visitors’ emotional evaluations (β = 0.95, p < 0.01). The spatial autocorrelation analysis indicated that the CES distribution did not exhibit significant clustering patterns (Z = 0.59). Based on these findings, it is recommended that educational functions be enhanced, public facilities upgraded, and local cultural heritage integrated into landscape and spatial planning. This research provides a novel CES quantification method based on social media data. It also offers theoretical and practical frameworks for urban planning and cultural heritage conservation in Macau. Full article

The valuation of the benefits to humans of ecosystem services (ESs) provided by nature has become increasingly important. A current challenge is the measurement of the range of benefits which are not traded in the marketplace and are generally considered intangible, with further challenges to even classify them formally, e.g., as cultural ecosystem services (CESs). Previous studies have emphasized a related challenge: the strong need for engagement of not just experts but ’ordinary people’. Approaches using participatory approaches and less formal communication pathways to draw out local CES values have been reported. However, critical reflections of those studies reported significant differences in understanding between ’outsider researchers’ and ’locals’, calling validity deeply into question. Even deliberative approaches backfired by significantly modifying local social constructs during elicitation. In this study, we demonstrate a fundamentally different kind of approach, developed from the bottom–up sustainability indicator development process called WeValue InSitu. It focuses not on improving deeper top–down ‘engagement’ of a specific topic, but instead on improving local articulation of existing envelopes of in situ human shared values, naturally integrated. The WeValue InSitu output is a framework of separate but interlinked concise Statements of local shared values. Some of these Statements may refer to values concerning ecosystems, but situated amongst others. Here, we analyze the outputs from 23 convenience groups in three sites in Nigeria and investigate the shared values found empirically against existing economics-based MEA classifications. The findings include hybrid values which span existing CES sub-categories and even across into market-based categories. This opens a discussion as to whether future ES valuation frameworks might evolve more usefully with foundations built on empirically derived typologies of human values, rather than bolt-on modifications to financially based economics concepts. It also raises questions about the validity of current valuations made which cannot capture empirically found human values. Full article

Urban parks are vital for providing cultural ecosystem services (CESs) to residents. However, few studies have explored sex-based differences in CES demand, particularly within mountainous urban parks. This study aimed to elucidate sex-based differences in the perceptions and preferences for CESs and landscape elements and explore their relationship in mountainous urban parks. Using value-labeled photographs from an equal number of male and female volunteer visits to Eling Park in Chongqing, China, the SolVES model was employed to investigate the relationship between sex-specific perceptions of CESs and landscape elements. The results showed that males preferred slopes and steps, garden facilities, and recreation facilities, whereas females preferred overlooks that offer multiple CES values, including science and ecological education, and aesthetic and cultural heritage values. Females perceived social relational value at the lotus pond and Kansheng Tower, whereas males perceived inspirational value at Kansheng Tower, the entrance, and the cliffside path. Males linked inspirational value to fort-like ridges and cliffs. Females associated inspirational value with slopes and steps. Based on the findings, the study recommends enhancing CESs specific to mountainous landscapes and incorporating sex-sensitive design elements. Ultimately, these efforts aim to position parks as key components of urban sustainable development, promoting overall resident well-being. Full article

Urban parks are vital public spaces that provide cultural ecosystem services (CESs) that enhance the well-being of city dwellers. As the demand for CESs has greatly increased, the imbalance between CES supply and demand has become prominent. Accurately identifying whether the supply of CESs meets the demand supports urban park planning and management. However, the CES supply–demand gap lies not only in the quantitative resource deficits, but also in the spatial mismatch between supply and demand. At present, scientific quantification methods for urban park CES supply and demand that comprehensively consider both quantitative and spatial relationships remain inadequate. To fill this gap, we propose an integrated framework that combines spatial and quantitative analysis to identify the supply and demand of urban park CESs, using Shanghai as the study area. The framework consists of three major steps: (1) mapping the CES supply and demand of urban parks; (2) identifying the CES supply–demand relationship by combining quantitative analysis through bivariate mapping with spatial analysis using spatial statistics; (3) categorizing the supply–demand relationship into four scenarios based on quantity balance and spatial matching, with three corresponding planning proposals. The results show that 136 sub-districts belong to the quantity balance and space matching type, while 79 sub-districts belonging to the imbalanced quantities type, including 41 belonging to the quantity imbalance and space mismatching type. Notably, only 15 sub-districts face a situation where supply is less than demand. Our findings provide a solid basis for identifying key areas of CES supply–demand conflict and prioritizing targeted planning interventions. This approach not only improves the efficiency of CES provision, but also addresses the growing demand for high-quality CESs in rapidly urbanizing regions. Full article

This study evaluates cultural ecosystem services (CESs) provided by coastal beaches in Korea using two valuation methods: choice experiments (CEs) and the energy method (EM). CESs, which include non-material benefits like recreation and esthetic enjoyment, are difficult to quantify through traditional market-based approaches. The CE method estimates individuals’ willingness to pay (WTP), offering an economic valuation, while the EM calculates the energy inputs required to sustain CESs, providing a biophysical perspective. The study compares CES values from both methods across 266 beaches in Korea. CES values from the CE method ranged from 6 million Korean won (KRW) (USD 5400) to KRW 93 billion (USD 84 million), while the EM yielded values between KRW 40 million (USD 36,000) and KRW 112 billion (USD 101 million). The EM generally yields higher valuations, particularly for rural beaches with fewer visitors, where ecological contributions dominate. In contrast, the CE values are closely aligned with the EM results for urban beaches, where human preferences and ecological inputs converge. These findings highlight the value of integrating economic and biophysical perspectives to provide policymakers with comprehensive data for balancing economic development and ecological conservation in coastal management. By adopting a dual-method approach, this research provides policymakers with concrete insights into optimizing resource allocation, prioritizing conservation efforts for less-visited rural beaches, and supporting sustainable coastal development tailored to regional characteristics. Full article

As a core and long-established part of urban blue–green infrastructure (BGI), public parks play a significant role in the sustainable development of cities. In particular, they make a major contribution to maintaining healthy ecosystems and providing multiple benefits that support human health and quality of life as a kind of nature-based solution (NBS). Still, planning, design, and management of public parks mostly rely on official standards and technical guidelines, whereas societal perspectives and the use of the ecosystem services (ES) approach (and cultural ecosystem services (CES) in particular) remain inadequately integrated. By assessing CES offered by Gorky Park in Moscow (Russia), the paper aims to bridge this gap and investigate the flow of CES and its relation to park infrastructure and the visitors’ needs. For this purpose, non-participant observation, field notes, and photographs were used in different functional park zones. By investigating visitor activities and factors affecting them, a variety of CES provided by the park have been detected. As aligned with its original idea, the park was mostly used for recreation, leisure, sports, and socializing. Moreover, the CES related to aesthetic, educational, and cultural heritage values were also partially utilized. The park was mostly attractive to the younger generation (the highest number of visitors), whereas visitors over 60 years old were hardly represented. Notably, men were more interested in sports (especially, team sports), whereas women mostly preferred walking (alone, with family, and with friends), relaxation, playing and spending time with children, picnicking, etc., which indicated certain preferences for CES among the park visitors. An interdependent relationship between the CES supply and the park infrastructure was found: the more infrastructural components were identified, the greater variety of park activities and corresponding CES were detected at certain observation points, which could ultimately lead to overcrowding and overutilization of the ES capacity. Given that the Moscow government claims integrating ES into the planning and management of urban BGI as one of the priorities in the city’s environmental policies, the related recommendations are provided. They address the recent challenges of creating integrated BGI, increasing demand for multifunctionality, and the conflicting interests of different visitor groups to maximize the benefits and diversity of CES delivered by the park. Full article