TY - CHAP

T1 - Sociocultural Valuation of Ecosystem Services in Southern Patagonia, Argentina

AU - Peri, Pablo L.

AU - Toledo, Santiago

AU - Rosas, Yamina M.

AU - Huertas, Leonardo

AU - Vettese, Evangelina

AU - Martínez Pastur, Guillermo

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Understanding sociocultural values towards ecosystem services (ES) facilitates a decision-making process across multiple management objectives. The aim of this chapter was to analyse the stakeholders’ perceptions of ES, wellbeing and connectedness to nature at regional level in Southern Patagonia (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina). For this, we designed a questionnaire and conducted 451 face-to-face semi-structured interviews, in which 168 corresponded to local residents and 283 to foreign visitors. Ecosystem services were classified depending on the degree of perceived importance and vulnerability for wellbeing. From this, 12 ES (5 provisioning, 6 cultural and 1 regulating) were perceived as important for wellbeing. Analysing the perceptions of vulnerable ES by each local stakeholder, we found that both groups of locals and decision-makers perceived provisioning services (mainly livestock, fresh water, timber, fishing and shellfish) and regulating (erosion control, habitat for species and climate regulation) as important ones. Survey respondents generally indicated a high level of connectivity with nature being similar for both locals and visitors. Our results showed that social perception of values can substantially contribute to identify ES by focusing on the conflicts that emerge among different stakeholder groups. The sociocultural information of the present study can provide important inputs into negotiations in a decision-making process, allowing participants to compare positive and negative impacts of various options for ES management.

AB - Understanding sociocultural values towards ecosystem services (ES) facilitates a decision-making process across multiple management objectives. The aim of this chapter was to analyse the stakeholders’ perceptions of ES, wellbeing and connectedness to nature at regional level in Southern Patagonia (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina). For this, we designed a questionnaire and conducted 451 face-to-face semi-structured interviews, in which 168 corresponded to local residents and 283 to foreign visitors. Ecosystem services were classified depending on the degree of perceived importance and vulnerability for wellbeing. From this, 12 ES (5 provisioning, 6 cultural and 1 regulating) were perceived as important for wellbeing. Analysing the perceptions of vulnerable ES by each local stakeholder, we found that both groups of locals and decision-makers perceived provisioning services (mainly livestock, fresh water, timber, fishing and shellfish) and regulating (erosion control, habitat for species and climate regulation) as important ones. Survey respondents generally indicated a high level of connectivity with nature being similar for both locals and visitors. Our results showed that social perception of values can substantially contribute to identify ES by focusing on the conflicts that emerge among different stakeholder groups. The sociocultural information of the present study can provide important inputs into negotiations in a decision-making process, allowing participants to compare positive and negative impacts of various options for ES management.

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-030-69166-0_14

DO - 10.1007/978-3-030-69166-0_14

M3 - Book chapter

SN - 978-3-030-69165-3

T3 - Natural and Social Sciences of Patagonia

SP - 287

EP - 306

BT - Ecosystem Services in Patagonia

A2 - Peri, Pablo L.

A2 - Pastur, Guillermo Martínez

A2 - Laura, Laura

PB - Springer

CY - Cham

ER -