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Importance of Cultural Ecosystem Services for Cultural Identity and Wellbeing in the Lower Engadine, Switzerland
Kosanic, Aleksandra; Lambers, Karsten; Galata, Stamatia; u. a. (2025): Importance of Cultural Ecosystem Services for Cultural Identity and Wellbeing in the Lower Engadine, Switzerland, in: Bamberg: Otto-Friedrich-Universität, S. 1–14.
Faculty/Chair:
Publisher Information:
Year of publication:
2025
Pages:
Source/Other editions:
Land : open access journal, Basel: MDPI, 2023, Jg. 12, Nr. 12, 2156, ISSN: 2073-445X
Year of first publication:
2023
Language:
English
Abstract:
Current climate and environmental changes have brought unprecedented rates of change to mountain ecosystems. These changes are impacting the provisioning of ecosystem services. Despite the increase in academic publications on ecosystem services, research on cultural ecosystem services (CES) and their availability in mountain regions has largely been neglected. Here we analyse how important different CES are for inhabitants and visitors in the Lower Engadine region (Switzerland). We use questionnaires and maps to identify the most important CES for individual and collective wellbeing as well as their geographical location in the region. We had 48 participants in this study of which 28 grew up in the Lower Engadine. Our results show that the most important (i.e., ‘Highly important’) CES are: ‘The view of mountains, rivers or glaciers’; the presence of plants typical for the region, for example Fire Lily and Edelweiss (i.e., Lilium bulbiliferum subsp. croceum, Edelweiss-Leontopodium alpinum); ‘Hiking’; ‘Local customs’; ‘Watching large mammals’; and the importance of ‘Terraces for traditional Agriculture activities’. Results from the spatial analysis show that identical geographical locations in the Lower Engadine provide multiple CES and bring health benefits to the users.
GND Keywords: ; ; ; ;
Engadin
Klimawandel
Mensch
Umwelt
Wohlbefinden
Keywords: ; ; ; ;
mountain regions
climate change
environmental change
cultural ecosystem services
human wellbeing
DDC Classification:
RVK Classification:
Peer Reviewed:
Yes:
International Distribution:
Yes:
Open Access Journal:
Yes:
Type:
Article
Activation date:
July 23, 2025
Permalink
https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/handle/uniba/109030