The application of ecosystem accounting principles at the local scale for a protected landscape: A case study of the Sleza Landscape Park in Poland

Abstract

This paper presents the application of the ecosystem service assessment and valuation of three ecosystem services to the local municipalities, which host the protected area. The protected area in this study is a peri-urban Sleza mountain providing perfect opportunities for one-day hiking for families. The case study area represents five municipalities that are part of the Sleza Landscape Park in Poland. Three ecosystem services (crop provision, pollination, and nature-based tourism) were mapped and attributed to the benefiting sectors. The assessment follows the guidelines of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting—Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) for recognising the contribution of ecosystem services (ES) to the economy and human well-being. The analysis relates to the years 2014 and 2021 and includes ecosystem extent and flow accounts. Thanks to the local character of our case study, ecosystems and beneficiaries could be precisely located, and the contribution of selected ES to the local economy could be presented in a spatially explicit way. The applicability of ecosystem accounting to spatial planning and local governance is discussed.