Disentangling Values in the Interrelations between Cultural Ecosystem Services and Landscape Conservation—A Case Study of the Ifugao Rice Terraces in the Philippines

Bianca Tilliger, Beatriz Rodríguez-Labajos, Jesus Victor Bustamante and Josef Settele
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Bianca Tilliger: Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
Beatriz Rodríguez-Labajos: Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
Jesus Victor Bustamante: Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research, Barangay Tam-an, Banaue, Ifugao, Philippines
Josef Settele: Department of Community Ecology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research, Theodor Lieser Str. 4, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany

Land, 2015, vol. 4, issue 3, 1-26

Abstract: In the past few years, there has been a growing amount of research on economic quantifications and valuations of ecosystem services (ES) in agricultural systems. However, little attention has been given to cultural ESs (CES) in general and their link to the landscape in particular. This paper tries to tackle this gap with a case study on the Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Philippines. The study aims to understand the interrelations between the different CESs and their relationships with the landscape. Besides contributing to knowledge about the degradation of the rice terraces, this study was conducted in order to discuss at a theoretical level how CESs and their relationship with the landscape must be addressed in ES management and policy decisions. The methodological approach includes a combination of semi-structured interviews (n = 60) and a perception survey (n = 66). The results reveal that CESs, apart from being interrelated, are also responsible for and affected by the degradation of the rice terraces, which is why they are important factors to consider in ecosystem conservation. This paper finally provides policy recommendations for the empirical case and demonstrates the importance of connecting CES analysis with landscape studies looking at agricultural systems.

Keywords: cultural ecosystem services; landscape; agriculture; Ifugao rice terraces; interrelations; tradeoffs; Philippines (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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