Ecosystem Services Assessment from the Mountain to the Sea: In Search of a Method for Land- and Seascape Planning

Abstract

Despite the growing use of ecosystem service (ES) assessment to value natural landscapes exposed to development pressures on the edge of urban landscapes, practical applications have been few. In a pilot research project, we integrate changes in different types of ES along a gradient of land-and seascape units (terrestrial, coastal and marine). This gradient includes developed urban and peri-urban areas, and undeveloped areas including submerged lands in the coastal (territorial) waters of Israel. The emphasis in our research is on development of a practical methodology for sustainable (urban and rural) development. Goals of the pilot project presented here include: (1) evaluation of various ecosystem services based on categorical indicators for each of the four ES types: provisional, regulating, supporting and cultural; (2) development of a method that can be used on a wider scale across varying landscape units; and (3) refinement of scenario building relevant to local planning institutions and frameworks. The project's final product consists of GIS-generated maps. These maps are the basis for weighing trade-offs in ES across relevant land-and seascape units in the Mt. Carmel region of Israel. Despite some limitations, this approach to ES assessment is helpful, and if improved upon in some of the ways described herein, it can provide the first steps for infusing ES values within planning frameworks in Israel and beyond.