Institutional Prerequisites for Organizational and Economic Quality Assurance of Ecosystem Services of City Parks

Abstract

As of today, according to the classifications of ecosystem services, there were developed numerous methods of their assessment. At the same time, there are no studies on institutional support for ecosystems depending on their functional groups. If we want to achieve economic effects in our economic activity in the process of support and improvement of ecosystem functions, we need to know exactly what effects are desirable and which ecosystem functions are responsible for them. Therefore, the subject of research of the article is groups of ecosystem services of city parks and the possibility of their institutional support. The purpose of the article is to present a comprehensive approach to support for ecosystem services of city parks by diversifying directions of support by ecosystem functions. The article uses methods of theoretical cognition, namely: induction, deduction and systems analysis. The use of systems analysis is aimed at systematizing data on ecosystem functioning, and known ways of their institutional control and support. Conceptual data passes through the border of economics and ecology, and consist of known developments for the assessment of ecosystem services, their functional classification. The study and analysis of these sources allowed to develop a comprehensive approach to institutional support of park ecosystems, in order to obtain certain economic, ecological and social effects. The paper presents the specifics of institutional support of parks according to the landscape and geographical approach. Based on the analysis of the characteristics of parks of different categories, it was found that city parks in their organizational and economic support should embody the functions of public space, while maintaining its ecological significance for the city. Therefore, the results of the research indicate that due to its versatility, high-quality organization of the city park requires clear and responsible institutional support. A quality city park meets the social and ecological needs of the city, and ideally, contributes to the economic well-being of nearby facilities and areas. The popularity and economic importance of the park depends on the ability to meet all these needs and the quality of ecosystem services of the park. The practical significance of the study is that the diversification of institutional support of city parks by groups of ecosystem services will increase the efficiency of management and organizational apparatus in the field of park management and will improve the quality of services received by park visitors. Improvement of the quality of services will contribute towards the increase of the popularity of parks and, consequently, economic benefits. The originality of the article lies in the fact that the author proposed for the first time the support for park facilities by groups of ecosystem services. It is determined that city parks are characterized by the following functional groups of ecosystem services: regulatory, cultural and supportive. The qualitative component with regard to the city park provides not only its support as an ecosystem, but also the possibility of convenient consumption of these services by park visitors. Therefore, it is important for city parks to note the availability of infrastructure, which should be considered separately from the support of ecosystem services.