Integrating Technical, Socio-Economic, and Sustainability Dimensions for Spatial Stratification of Ecosystem Services...

Area of Science:

• Forestry Science
• Environmental Management
• Ecosystem Services Research

Background:

• Forest management complexity necessitates balancing ecosystem services, public expectations, and scientific-political factors.
• Recognizing, prioritizing, and spatially stratifying ecosystem services (ES) are crucial for effective forest management frameworks.
• Turkey's forest ecosystem management requires a structured approach to address diverse demands.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a methodology for recognizing, prioritizing, and spatially stratifying ecosystem services (ES) in Turkey's forest ecosystem management.
• To integrate technical suitability, stakeholder involvement, and sustainability categories into ES assessment.
• To inform sustainable forest management practices through a spatial zoning strategy.

Main Methods:

• Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) was employed, specifically the Delphi technique combined with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP).
• A stratification model was developed to capture scientific data and stakeholder perspectives for determining ES provisions.
• Geographic Information System (GIS) was utilized for the spatial stratification of forest stands based on identified ES.

Main Results:

• Ecosystem services stratification revealed a primary focus on biodiversity conservation (78.5%) and water protection (13.3%).
• Timber production (7.9%) and soil protection (0.04%) received minimal provision, while climate regulation, eco-tourism, and non-wood forest products were not prioritized.
• The study successfully stratified ES, highlighting imbalances in provision within the Yalnızçam case study area.

Conclusions:

• The MCDA-based approach provides an efficient spatial zoning strategy for forest management.
• Balancing technical and socio-cultural factors through ES stratification streamlines decision-making for sustainable forest management.
• The findings underscore the need for a multi-dimensional approach to set management goals that align with ecosystem service priorities.