TY - JOUR

T1 - Experts’ versus laypersons’ perception of urban cultural ecosystem services

AU - Riechers, Maraja

AU - Noack, Eva Maria

AU - Tscharntke, Teja

PY - 2017/6/1

Y1 - 2017/6/1

N2 - Urban cultural ecosystem services are understood differently by experts and laypersons. Yet, unaccounted differences can lead to management problems for urban green spaces, as experts may recommend practices that do not meet the laypersons’ wishes. Qualitative research on the perception of cultural ecosystem services can be one tool to analyze these differences. We use expert and problem-centered interviews to assess differences in cultural ecosystem service perceptions for experts and laypersons in Berlin. Using an innovative approach, we combine inductive qualitative content analysis with a frequency analysis and multidimensional scaling. This explorative study innovatively merges qualitative and quantitative approaches to show new ways of analysis. Our results show that the experts’ perceptions of nature appear to be more practical, management-centered, whereas laypersons appear to prioritize enjoyment of nature. Overall, multidimensional scaling indicates different perceptions and conceptualizations of cultural ecosystem service bundles, emphasizing the diverging understandings. If these different perceptions are not accounted for it could lead to social and political contrast. They should therefore be acknowledged in decision-making and goal formulation for the management of urban green.

AB - Urban cultural ecosystem services are understood differently by experts and laypersons. Yet, unaccounted differences can lead to management problems for urban green spaces, as experts may recommend practices that do not meet the laypersons’ wishes. Qualitative research on the perception of cultural ecosystem services can be one tool to analyze these differences. We use expert and problem-centered interviews to assess differences in cultural ecosystem service perceptions for experts and laypersons in Berlin. Using an innovative approach, we combine inductive qualitative content analysis with a frequency analysis and multidimensional scaling. This explorative study innovatively merges qualitative and quantitative approaches to show new ways of analysis. Our results show that the experts’ perceptions of nature appear to be more practical, management-centered, whereas laypersons appear to prioritize enjoyment of nature. Overall, multidimensional scaling indicates different perceptions and conceptualizations of cultural ecosystem service bundles, emphasizing the diverging understandings. If these different perceptions are not accounted for it could lead to social and political contrast. They should therefore be acknowledged in decision-making and goal formulation for the management of urban green.

KW - Bundles of services

KW - Management of urban green

KW - Millennium ecosystem assessment

KW - Political conflict

KW - Public participation

KW - Qualitative research

KW - Transdisciplinary studies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84996566952&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s11252-016-0616-3

DO - 10.1007/s11252-016-0616-3

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:84996566952

VL - 20

SP - 715

EP - 727

JO - Urban Ecosystems

JF - Urban Ecosystems

SN - 1083-8155

IS - 3

ER -