Using people's perceptions of ecosystem services to guide modeling and management efforts

Abstract

Although ecosystem service (ES) approaches are showing promise in moving environmental decision-making processes toward better outcomes for ecosystems and people, ES modeling (i.e., tools that estimate the supply of nature's benefits given biophysical constraints) and valuation methods (i.e., tools to understand people's demand for nature's benefits) largely remain disconnected, preventing them from reaching their full potential to guide management efforts.Here, we show how knowledge of environmental perceptions explicitly links these two lines of research. We examined how a diverse community of people with varying degrees of dependencies on coastal and marine ecosystems in southern Chile perceived the importance of different ecosystem services (ESs), their states (e.g., doing well, needs improvement), and management options. Our analysis indicates that an understanding of people's perceptions may usefully guide ecosystem modeling and management efforts by helping to: (1) define which ESs to enter into models and tradeoff analyses (i.e., what matters most?), (2) guide where to focus management efforts (i.e., what matters yet needs improvement?), and, (3) anticipate potential support or controversy surrounding management interventions. Finally, we discuss the complexity inherent in defining which ESs matter most to people. We propose that future research address how to design ES approaches and assessments that are more inclusive to diverse world views and notions of human wellbeing.

Shifting Gears for the Use of the Shifting Baseline Syndrome in Ecological Restoration

“…We recognize the benefits that the measurement of people's perceptions can add into conservation and resource management (e.g., [30]). Nevertheless, in the case where possible, it is imperative to include both biological and social data.…”

The importance of cultural ecosystem services in natural resource-dependent communities: Implications for management

“…Understanding the importance of CES to wellbeing constitutes a critical first step in efforts to safeguard what matters most to people. For example, by identifying ecosystem services perceived as priorities, managers can focus efforts and explore how different management scenarios may affect the provision of those services (Elwell et al, 2018).…”

Assessing the effects of human activities on the foraging opportunities of migratory shorebirds in Austral high-latitude bays

“…Hence these practices are a potential source of conflict between commercial and conservation interests [9]. However, such traditional activities are an important source of income for livelihoods, probably learned from ancestors and thus belonging to the human and natural heritage of coastal areas [10], and overall have a lower impact [11] than mechanical (modern) ones [12]. Assessing the impact of traditional activities at coastal areas is therefore essential to develop adaptive management measures that make them compatible with wetland biodiversity (from benthic invertebrates to waterbirds), and the ecosystem services they provide [13].…”

“…Locally, A . chilensis is an important economic resource for coastal inhabitants [10], involving several people (often accompanied by dogs) that work by hand and often use oxcarts to transport collected seaweed up for stocking in supratidal areas. Despite the potential disturbances associated to this traditional activity, no study has investigated its effects on wildlife.…”