Unravelling Diverse Values of Ecosystem Services: A Socio-Cultural Valuation Using Q Methodology in Messenia, Greece

Sofia Maniatakou, Håkan Berg, Giorgos Maneas and Tim M. Daw
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Sofia Maniatakou: Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Håkan Berg: Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Giorgos Maneas: Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Tim M. Daw: Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 24, 1-25

Abstract: People perceive the importance of benefits from ecosystem services in different ways, depending on their values, beliefs, and needs. Acknowledging and integrating this diversity into decision-making processes can support informed natural resource management. Our empirical study unpicks the multiple ways stakeholder groups perceive the benefits derived from wetland ecosystem services (WES) in the area surrounding the “Gialova” coastal wetland in Messenia, Greece. The inhabitants from this region benefit from a range of WES, and most livelihoods are closely linked to agriculture and tourism. We aim to understand the patterns in commonly held stakeholder views on WES using “Q methodology”, a participatory mixed-methods approach. We identified five distinct perspectives on WES from a sample of 32 stakeholders. Alongside diverse perceptions of the relative importance of different WES, we observed a range of explanations of why certain WES are important and analyzed these through the lens of “value pluralism”. This identified tension between relational and instrumental values. Such analyses move beyond ecosystem service identification towards an understanding of value justifications and conflicts, and can support the deliberation of conflicted views, and policy design in alignment with people’s values.

Keywords: non-monetary valuation; wetland ecosystem services; perceptions; values; Q methodology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:24:p:10320-:d:459858

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