Assessment of Coastal Cultural Ecosystem Services and Well-Being for Integrating Stakeholder Values into Coastal Planning

Coastal areas provide ecosystem services (ES), including a wide range of cultural ecosystem services (CES). This study aims to operationalize the ES approach for integrated assessment and mapping of coastal CES through the case of the eastern Baltic Sea coast in Latvia. It explores an interdisciplin...

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Main Authors: Kristina Veidemane, Agnese Reke, Anda Ruskule, Ivo Vinogradovs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-03-01
Series:Land
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/3/362
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author Kristina Veidemane
Agnese Reke
Anda Ruskule
Ivo Vinogradovs
author_facet Kristina Veidemane
Agnese Reke
Anda Ruskule
Ivo Vinogradovs
author_sort Kristina Veidemane
collection DOAJ
description Coastal areas provide ecosystem services (ES), including a wide range of cultural ecosystem services (CES). This study aims to operationalize the ES approach for integrated assessment and mapping of coastal CES through the case of the eastern Baltic Sea coast in Latvia. It explores an interdisciplinary approach to enhance coastal planning, leveraging the strengths of plural disciplines to ensure a more holistic representation of coastal CES. A set of methods and techniques from landscape ecology (e.g., landscape characterization, quality assessment, biophysical mapping) and social sciences (participatory GIS, stakeholder engagement events, nationwide survey) are developed and tested, particularly demonstrating links and correlations between landscape character and CES values and well-being dimensions. The results illuminate the main perceived well-being benefits that people gain from the coastal areas, highlighting the different perspectives of stakeholders. Finally, the integrated assessment results helped to construct proposals for sustainable tourism development in the area. The outcomes of the study are intended to assist planners and decision-makers in evaluating the potential for development and trade-offs in coastal regions. This research contributes to the advancement of coastal spatial planning methodologies, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder engagement and ES assessment for informed decision-making.
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spelling doaj.art-fdaac74dfd204e6e9bafd2ad4007ca032024-03-27T13:50:46ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2024-03-0113336210.3390/land13030362Assessment of Coastal Cultural Ecosystem Services and Well-Being for Integrating Stakeholder Values into Coastal PlanningKristina Veidemane0Agnese Reke1Anda Ruskule2Ivo Vinogradovs3Baltic Environmental Forum—Latvia, LV-1050 Riga, LatviaBaltic Environmental Forum—Latvia, LV-1050 Riga, LatviaBaltic Environmental Forum—Latvia, LV-1050 Riga, LatviaFaculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1589 Riga, LatviaCoastal areas provide ecosystem services (ES), including a wide range of cultural ecosystem services (CES). This study aims to operationalize the ES approach for integrated assessment and mapping of coastal CES through the case of the eastern Baltic Sea coast in Latvia. It explores an interdisciplinary approach to enhance coastal planning, leveraging the strengths of plural disciplines to ensure a more holistic representation of coastal CES. A set of methods and techniques from landscape ecology (e.g., landscape characterization, quality assessment, biophysical mapping) and social sciences (participatory GIS, stakeholder engagement events, nationwide survey) are developed and tested, particularly demonstrating links and correlations between landscape character and CES values and well-being dimensions. The results illuminate the main perceived well-being benefits that people gain from the coastal areas, highlighting the different perspectives of stakeholders. Finally, the integrated assessment results helped to construct proposals for sustainable tourism development in the area. The outcomes of the study are intended to assist planners and decision-makers in evaluating the potential for development and trade-offs in coastal regions. This research contributes to the advancement of coastal spatial planning methodologies, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder engagement and ES assessment for informed decision-making.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/3/362ecosystem servicesstakeholderssocial valuesperceived well-being benefitscoastal spatial planningintegrated assessment
spellingShingle Kristina Veidemane
Agnese Reke
Anda Ruskule
Ivo Vinogradovs
Assessment of Coastal Cultural Ecosystem Services and Well-Being for Integrating Stakeholder Values into Coastal Planning
Land
ecosystem services
stakeholders
social values
perceived well-being benefits
coastal spatial planning
integrated assessment
title Assessment of Coastal Cultural Ecosystem Services and Well-Being for Integrating Stakeholder Values into Coastal Planning
title_full Assessment of Coastal Cultural Ecosystem Services and Well-Being for Integrating Stakeholder Values into Coastal Planning
title_fullStr Assessment of Coastal Cultural Ecosystem Services and Well-Being for Integrating Stakeholder Values into Coastal Planning
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of Coastal Cultural Ecosystem Services and Well-Being for Integrating Stakeholder Values into Coastal Planning
title_short Assessment of Coastal Cultural Ecosystem Services and Well-Being for Integrating Stakeholder Values into Coastal Planning
title_sort assessment of coastal cultural ecosystem services and well being for integrating stakeholder values into coastal planning
topic ecosystem services
stakeholders
social values
perceived well-being benefits
coastal spatial planning
integrated assessment
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/3/362
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AT andaruskule assessmentofcoastalculturalecosystemservicesandwellbeingforintegratingstakeholdervaluesintocoastalplanning
AT ivovinogradovs assessmentofcoastalculturalecosystemservicesandwellbeingforintegratingstakeholdervaluesintocoastalplanning