Application of the ecosystem services concept at the local level – Challenges, opportunities, and limitations

Joanna Tusznio, Agata Pietrzyk-Kaszyńska, Marcin Rechciński, Agnieszka Olszańska and Małgorzata Grodzińska-Jurczak

Ecosystem Services, 2020, vol. 42, issue C

Abstract: Theories, models, and studies of ecosystem services (ESs) are expected to be applicable to conservation practices. However, applying the ES concept becomes challenging, especially in terms of implementing theory into the local-level activities. We analyzed ten participatory mapping workshops involving conservation experts and local stakeholders to investigate theoretical challenges emergent in the ES concept implementation. Based on our results, we argue that local stakeholders are able to address practical problems in mapping ESs that are debated in the literature as major theoretical challenges to the concept. In particular, it considers the theoretical challenges of distinguishing ESs from the other levels of the ESs cascade; challenges in monetary valuation of the ESs, operationalization of service-providing units, service-benefiting areas, and ESs that are co-produced with humans, and the consequences of including the stakeholders’ subjective perspectives in mapping ESs.

Keywords: Benefits from nature; Focus group interviews; Local knowledge; Participatory research; Poland (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecoser:v:42:y:2020:i:c:s221204162030019x

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101077

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