Tailoring ecosystem services assessment to target users and building a national platform: Stakeholder consultations case study in the Czech Republic

There have been numerous calls to minimize the gap between ES knowledge and its implementation in policy, decision making, and practice, which reflect the mission-oriented nature of ecosystem services (ES) assessments. Engaging stakeholders in coproduction of knowledge and transdisciplinary approaches are suggested as promising means to deliver relevant, credible, and legitimate outcomes to increase the impact of ES assessments. We employed a stakeholder consultation process which aimed to tailor the forthcoming ES assessment to the needs of target users and to facilitate the establishment of a national science-policy interface. We used a multimethod approach, applying stakeholder analysis, semistructured interviews, and participatory workshops. We gathered empirical data on the purpose of ES assessments and the settings of the forthcoming national platform, following the ultimate goal to increase the impact of ES assessment. A three-dimensional stakeholder matrix allowed us to select the key stakeholders to be involved in various stages of consultations. Stakeholders prioritized ES for assessment, with demand highest for regulating ES. They also highlighted perceived barriers, suitable areas for ES implementation, and factors influencing the uptake of the ES framework. Moreover, they provided specific examples of expected use and perceived barriers to use for the assessment of two ES: regulation of climate and physical and psychological experiences. Mapping and engaging stakeholders and the knowledge coproduced allowed to tailor the ES assessment to the needs of target users and facilitated the development of the National Platform for ES. We suggest that stakeholder consultations can help to address the gap between ES knowledge and its desirable application in policy, decision making, and practice.