An Analysis of the Worldwide Research on the Socio-Cultural Valuation of Forest Ecosystem Services

Abstract

The socio-cultural valuation of forest ecosystem services is a useful tool to generate knowledge and help balance the different interests of stakeholders with respect to the management of these services. The aim of this study is to analyse the evolution of global research on the economic valuation of forest ecosystem services through a review of the existing literature on this topic. The results show that socio-cultural valuation has gained importance in recent years. There is a wide disparity between the countries conducting the research and those being studied. Inconsistency has been observed in the definition and classification of services provided by forests, as well as a lack of unanimity on the reference framework to be applied. The main methodological approaches in the socio-cultural valuation of forest services are participatory mapping, social media analysis, the Q method and free listing. For the collection of primary information, the dominant methodologies are focus groups, semi-structured interviews and online surveys. Finally, this study demonstrates that socio-cultural valuation has great potential to improve the legitimacy of forest ecosystem management decisions and to promote consensus building.

Wetland Park Planning and Management Based on the Valuation of Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of the Tieling Lotus Lake National Wetland Park (LLNWP), China

“…The LLNWP evaluation method in this study was appropriate. This method of evaluating and classifying ecosystem services is not just applicable to the LLNWP’s wetland ecosystem but also to forest [ 44 ] and grassland ecosystems. The non-interrelation [ 45 ] classification of evaluation and the single econometric approach employed in earlier ecosystem studies resulted in duplicate calculation findings and incompatibility with wetland ecosystems, and the methodologies utilized varied widely due to diverse evaluation aims [ 46 , 47 ].…”

Payments for ecosystem services programs: A global review of contributions towards sustainability

“… - C1b were from the reviewed studies in valuing ES (cf. [ [80] , [81] , [82] , 311 ]) - Biophysical, socio-cultural, and economic/monetary value-domains ES value-domains (C1b) are based on the multidimensional nature of ES assessment, with various value groups that are: biophysical, socio-cultural, and economic/monetary value-domains [ [80] , [81] , [82] , 311 ]. An ES assessment can be conducted by using different assessment methods or perspectives, such as biophysical, social or economic [ 82 ] .…”

Assessment of ecosystem functions of green spaces as an important component of their inventory in the context of sustainable development of urban landscapes

“…˚ accounting for tangible and intangible benefits produced by green spaces (Pryshchepa, 2019;Velasco-Muñoz et al, 2022); ˚ application of payments for ecosystem services provided, which are created by green spaces in the course of their life (Yan et al, 2022;Gaglio et al, 2023); ˚ use of information systems, computer modelling, and other tools to automate the determination of the amount and cost of ecosystem services for plantings or individual plants (Nowak et al, 2018;Babí Almenar et al, 2023). Some Ukrainian researchers are also developing new methods and means for combining the above approaches to consider the advantages and features of each of the methods mentioned (Rogovskiy, 2016;Bidolakh & Lakyda, 2019;Havrylenko & Tsyhanok, 2019).…”