Integrating public perception and expert knowledge in mapping and assessing cultural ecosystem services in peri-urban landscape

Dynamic peri-urban landscapes, positioned between urban and rural environments, play a crucial role in providing cultural ecosystem services (CES) that enhance human wellbeing. However, CES in peri-urban landscapes are often undervalued and insufficiently integrated into spatial planning due to challenges such as understanding their spatial distribution, connections with geographical variables such as land use, land cover, or protection regimes, and insufficient incorporation of local knowledge. This study addresses these issues by using expert knowledge and public perception. We conducted a mixed-methods analysis across three Slovenian cities, Ljubljana, Kranj, and Koper, mapping CES provision and importance. Experts used a scoring matrix to assess CES provision potential, and participatory mapping with local users was used to identify the perceived importance of CES. Spatial and statistical analyses revealed patterns in CES distribution and their relationship with geographical variables. The findings highlight leisure and recreation activities, aesthetic value, and social relations as the most frequently and intensively perceived CES benefits. Protected, residential, and mixed-use areas emerged as CES hotspots for users, whereas forest, contrary to previous research, was identified as a coldspot in terms of perceived importance. Leisure and recreation activities was the most spatially clustered CES, whereas more cognitive services such as sense of place and identity were more dispersed. We also found that perceived CES benefits are closely linked to the proximity to people’s homes and perceived landscape accessibility. This mixed-methods approach effectively captured the diverse values and importance patterns of CES, revealing discrepancies between provision potential and perceived importance. The results emphasize the importance of evidence-based spatial planning that integrates CES to improve human wellbeing and address environmental challenges in peri-urban landscapes.