Dual valuation of tree-covered areas: ecosystem services provision vs. their appreciation by residents

Due to varying stakeholder perspectives, urban trees in diverse settings like Urban Green Spaces and residential areas pose challenges to sustainable urban planning. The research proposes a two-sided valuation approach for tree-covered areas (TCAs) based on an analysis of Ecosystem Services (ESs), enabling the juxtaposition of these perspectives. On the one hand, it compiles information on ESs provided by the TCAs which is derived from two data types: (1) remote sensing used for the mapping of TCAs and estimation of their regulating ESs (such as oxygen production or shading) that can be calculated with the i-Tree Eco model, and (2) participatory mapping with local practitioners to estimate the provision of other types of ESs related to those trees (such as providing animal habitat, food, or places of recreation). On the other hand, it compiles the local community’s appreciation (i.e., how valuable they are) using public participation geoinformation systems. Both sides of the valuation are compared using multi-criteria decision-making and fuzzy set theory. The potential of the proposed approach is presented in the case study of Racibórz (Poland), which considers 17 types of ESs representing four classes of services: provisioning, regulating, habitat, and cultural, recognizing their varying significance. Validation is conducted against areas with high legal protection, revealing spatial mismatches between ES supply and community appreciation. The presented valuation method allows for identifying the most valuable TCAs in urban landscapes, considering different geodata and dwellers’ perspectives, thus supporting local decision-makers and planners.