The Integration of Ecosystem Services in Land Use Planning in Multifunctional Landscapes of Developing Countries

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities cause pressure on natural resources worldwide, leading to the loss of ecosystem services (ES) that are critical for human well-being and livelihoods. This pressure is particularly challenging in developing countries that are home to some of the most biodiverse ecoregions in the world. Land-use planning, which aims to allocate different land uses considering environmental, social, and economic dimensions, arises as an alternative to balance conservation of natural resources, human well-being, and economic development and prevent further degradation of ecosystems. However, significant challenges remain in developing countries to successfully build and implement an integrated land-use planning framework, providing practical applications, and including stakeholders’ interests. This dissertation aims to inform future land-use planning processes using ES to engage with stakeholders and propose an integrated participatory bottom-up land-use planning framework for multifunctional landscapes of developing countries. This research explores the perspectives of experts, stakeholders, and decision-makers on ES and land-use planning policies using the Pantanal and Chaco ecoregions of Paraguay as illustrative cases. Mixed-method participatory research approaches were used including surveys, focus groups, and interviews. The findings suggest that integrating ES in land-use planning can help identify synergies and tradeoffs between conservation and development based on the different stakeholders’ interests. The ES approach is feasible as it allows for the recognition of plural and diverse values. This study demonstrates that there are statistically significant differences in ES importance across stakeholders’ groups. Additionally, the participating Indigenous communities have a more holistic view of the natural resources, and this must be considered in these processes. The proposed framework includes the following key elements: prior consent of the Indigenous communities, integration of ES, and cross-cutting processes such as capacity building/strengthening and information and consultation/communication of the processes. The data presented in this dissertation provides a basis to negotiate land-use allocation in multifunctional landscapes, as well as insights that can foster policy changes to promote more inclusive, participatory, equitable, and sustainable land-use plans. This is crucial to conserve and protect some of the most threatened and fragile ecosystems worldwide.