A Framework Proposal for the Ex Post Evaluation of a Solution-Driven PES Scheme: The Case of Medvednica Nature Park

Stefano Bruzzese (), Iva Tolić Mandić, Sanja Tišma, Simone Blanc, Filippo Brun and Dijana Vuletić
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Stefano Bruzzese: Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
Iva Tolić Mandić: Institute for Development and International Relations—IRMO, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Sanja Tišma: Institute for Development and International Relations—IRMO, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Simone Blanc: Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
Filippo Brun: Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
Dijana Vuletić: Department for Scientific International Cooperation in Southeast Europe—EFISEE, Croatian Forest Research Institute, 10450 Jastrebarsko, Croatia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-22

Abstract: Payments for ecosystem services are a voluntary market-based instrument to remunerate provider(s) of ecosystem services by those who benefit from them. Our research aimed to create an ex post evaluation framework to identify bottlenecks and elements hindering the success of a solution-driven PES scheme. The framework was applied to a case study to assess its feasibility and concerns the provision of health and recreational services in the Medvednica Nature Park (Zagreb, Croatia). The framework was set up through three main sources: the study of PES implementation project documentation, semi-structured interviews with visitors and key stakeholders, and web-scraping of TripAdvisor reviews of the park. The main findings confirm society’s interest in the park, but the lack of mapping, quantification, and accounting of the services analysed, the little or no demand from society to pay for their provision, and confused knowledge of the property rights of some ecosystem service providers in the area limit the success of the PES scheme. The framework was useful to describe the chosen PES scheme and to identify bottlenecks and fragilities of the system in place, allowing it to correct its application flaws and, on the other hand, to demonstrate its replicability in other contexts.

Keywords: forest ecosystem services; tourism; recreational activities; health; methodological framework; nature park; protected area (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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