3.4. Ecosystem service assessment
The assessment of ecosystem services (ES) focuses on the characterization of the social-ecological context and broad understanding of the main ES provided by:
- The focal area (presence and importance of ES)
- Their associated values
- Potential existing trade-offs and synergies, associated with different social-ecological factors.
The ES assessment will be based on a social dimension (qualitative), integrating the importance that ES have for the different stakeholders involved in the focal area.
This method can serve as a complementary approach and can thus be integrated into the stakeholder workshop for participatory system mapping. It can provide insights into the complex relationships between ES and social-ecological factors, fostering a shared understanding among stakeholders.
Definitions ecosystem services assessment
- Provisioning: contributions or benefits to human well-being that are obtained directly from ecosystems (biotic and abiotic components), such as water, food, wood, materials, etc.
- Regulating: contributions or benefits that can modify and regularize the environmental environment that affects human well-being, related to the regulation of the natural processes of ecosystems, such as climate regulation, water purification, flood control, etc.
- Cultural: intangible and immaterial contributions or benefits that can affect physical and mental well-being and that we obtain from ecosystems through our experience or interaction with them, such as aesthetic enjoyment, tourism, cultural heritage, etc.
ES Trade-offs – Synergies: Situations that arise when the use of one ES directly decreases (trade-off) or increases (synergy) the benefits provided by another. This may be due to a simultaneous response to the same driver of change or due to interactions between ES (Baró, Gómez-Baggethun, and Haase 2017).
Why use Ecosystem Service Assessment method?
In the context of the WEFe nexus, understanding the socio-ecological system helps capture the values, preferences, and priorities of stakeholders. This approach also identifies key ecosystem services (ES) and their links to other social-ecological factors that may cause conflicts among actors.
Advantages, risks, and limitations include challenges in applying the academic ES concept to local contexts, time limitations associated with interviews and participatory activities, and difficulties in answering open-ended questions due to cultural differences. Therefore, it is important to adapt the methodology to the specific case study.