Spatial mapping of the social value of forest services: A case study of northern Jordan

ABSTRACT

Despite the growing body of research on ecosystem services and their valuation, Jordan still faces many challenges with integration of ecosystem service concepts into forest sustainability policy and management planning. One major challenge is the incorporation of local communities into policy design, planning, and implementation. This article aims to provide information about the social value of forests’ provisioning and cultural services in a spatial context using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The study utilizes a new approach to mapping value in rural areas by projecting local forest value from interview data. A value index is created based on indicated importance of services as well as proximity to households, permitting interpolation of value in forested areas between survey points. The resulting maps illustrate ecosystem service “hotspot” areas of significance to planning and management. This mapping technique can be applied in other locations where homes are situated near and within the ecosystems being assessed. The resulting maps serve to inform forest management policy and planning by better integrating communities’ preferences into development and conservation efforts, ensuring more efficient utilization of ecosystem services.