Differences in the experience of cultural ecosystem services in mountain protected areas by clusters of visitors
María R. Felipe‐Lucia, Ángel de Frutos, Émilie Crouzat, Volker Grescho, Jonna M. Heuschele, Melissa Marselle, Marco Heurich, Franziska Pöpperl, Florian Porst, Ana Paula Portela, Christian Rossi, Cláudia Carvalho‐Santos, Ana Stritih, Ana Sofía Vaz, Aletta Bonn
Abstract
• Protected Areas (PA) provide multiple cultural ecosystem services (CES). • We analyse linkages between visitor characteristics and CES demand. • We use on-site surveys and participatory mapping in four European mountain PA. • We identify three clusters of visitors differing in CES use and location (“short time visitors”, “long-stay visitors”, and “regular visitors”). • Understanding of visitors CES demand is key for mountain PA management. Protected Areas contribute to the conservation of nature with associated cultural ecosystem services (CES) and values, such as recreational and educational opportunities, wildlife observation, scenic beauty, inspiration and sense of belonging. Informed management of Protected Areas needs to consider the distinct use and preferences for CES of different types of visitors to increase opportunities for nature experience while avoiding conflicts with biodiversity conservation. Therefore, it is important to understand the linkages between visitor characteristics and their demand for specific sets of CES, particularly in fragile mountain ecosystems. Here we do so by combining information from individual on-site surveys and participatory mapping of visitors in four European mountain Protected Areas. We analysed visitors’ frequency of use of eight CES and their socio-demographic information, identifying three clusters of visitors. We also assessed the spatial distribution of CES locations used by each visitor cluster. Our results highlight strong differences between clusters both in the most frequently experienced CES and in the spatial location where those CES were experienced. We suggest that a better understanding of visitors regarding the way they experience nature is relevant for the environmental management of mountain Protected Areas and their surroundings.