Vol. 86 (2025)
Original Articles - Urban, Land, Environmental Appraisal and Economics

Valuing cultural ecosystem services: an application to forest areas in Marche Region, Italy

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  • Danilo Gambelli,
  • Alice Dappozzo,
  • Andrea Cameli,
  • Carlo Urbinati,
  • Alessandro Vitali
Danilo Gambelli
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences (D3A), Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy
Alice Dappozzo
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences (D3A), Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy
Andrea Cameli
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences (D3A), Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy
Carlo Urbinati
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences (D3A), Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy
Alessandro Vitali
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences (D3A), Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/aestim-16391

Published 2025-08-07

Keywords

  • cultural ecosystem services,
  • contingent valuation,
  • importance-performance analysis

Copyright (c) 2025 Danilo Gambelli, Alice Dappozzo, Andrea Cameli, Carlo Urbinati, Alessandro Vitali

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

This article investigates the perceived relevance of cultural ecosystem services (ES) in two forest areas in the Marche region (Italy) and how users, tourists and locals value them economically. Two surveys were used to collect data from visitors to the two areas. Through Importance Performance Analysis (IPA), we assessed visitors’ satisfaction with cultural ES in the two areas under investigation. The economic appraisal of the ecosystem services in the two forest areas was based on a contingent valuation method (CVM) using a double-bounded approach to estimate visitors’ willingness to pay (WTP). This type of research, merging qualitative and monetary evaluation of ES can contribute to defining policy management by identifying aspects and activities in natural areas that require specific intervention. Evidence for the economic value delivered by a broader range of ES may support the definition of more effective policy measures for forest areas and create the basis for the definition of payment schemes for ES.

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