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The Evaluating the Health Function of the Ecosystem Service and Developing a Payment Methodology for the same (PES)

Forest ecosystems provide the basic preconditions for maintaining the overall life on Earth. The multifunctional role of the forest is reflected in the preservation of the environment and biodiversity, the mitigation of the effects of climate change, the preservation of the quality and quantity of drinking water, and it creates the preconditions for the development of green economy. Forests directly participate in the purification of underground and surface waters, protect the reservoirs of potable water from pollution, play an important role in flood protection, protect the soil from erosion and slip, and prevent avalanche formation and sliding of snowy masses. Larger forest areas affect the climate by mitigating large temperature changes, they increase air humidity in summer, prevent microclimate changes in a given area, protect it from contaminated air, strong wind and noise, retain large amounts of dust, and provide shelter and food to numerous animal and plant species. In Nature Park Medvednica, we conducted a research titled: The Evaluating the Health Function of the Ecosystem Service and Developing a Payment Methodology for the same (PES), as apart of the project: Spurring INnovations for forest eCosystem sERvices in Europe, the project will comprehensively present various case studies and connect the knowledge and expertise of different actors through practical activities (forest managers, businessmen, public administration, scientists and politics). Research results will stimulate innovation, initiate the potential of ecosystem services to be implemented in EU policy on forest management. The aim of the research is to valorise the health function and develop the PES methodology. The research will last three years, in cooperation with stakeholders, and it will be carried out through workshops where stakeholders will be actively involved. Also, the survey of visitors, local residents and service providers will be conducted on their willingness to pay for PES. The results obtained by analysed questionnaires and compared with the already existing parameters will be the basis for developing the PES. This research should raise awareness of the health benefits of FES, because people, although aware of all the benefits of staying in nature, do not look deeper into the FES. It is well known that the FES are ten times larger than the economic value of the wood mass. Developed PES mechanism will provide the resources of maintaining the existing content and infrastructure, and finance the new ones.

stakeholder, forest, innovation, valorisation, health function, payment for ecosystem services (PES)

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