Citizens’ Versus Scientific Perceptions of Ecosystem Services – Assessing Local Controversies Over Climate Mitigation Efforts in a Former Wetland

Abstract

This paper examines a former wetland dominated by highly drained water systems and has a high carbon sequestration potential. However, previous efforts of wetland transformation has failed. We critically examine local responses to global environmental change via a civic mapping of ecosystem services. A combination of local accounts and fieldwork observations of ES are presented, followed by media analysis of local newspapers through which processes of engagement and disengagement complicate public debate on wetland restoration. Combining this with public participatory mapping approaches, we examine citizens’ valuation and their perceptions of the ecosystem services that nature provides. The paper identifies environmental blind spots between scientific and public ecosystem service accounts and shows how evidence-based ES accounts disconnect from local ES controversies. We argue that interdisciplinary approaches may improve climate mitigation and restoration strategies by identifying ecosystem networks and ES controversies to identify and plan local climate mitigation implementation frameworks.

Keywords: ecosystem services, climate mitigation planning, wetlands, participatory mapping, planning