This case study contributes to the incorporation of the concept of ecosystem services on the ground in concrete operational decision-making contexts. It does so by testing the use of open-source data and free tools as well as the adoption of a short-term participatory process, in the context of a project in the urban metropolitan area of Bordeaux, France.
The ecosystem services were defined using a participatory approach involving local stakeholders, and then selected scenarios were simulated to test the impact of various development or conservation plans. The study addressed three main questions:
- Is it possible to adopt a simple methodological approach that overcomes the implementation gap through the development of a user-friendly and inclusive method?
- What is the added value of a participatory approach?
- With regards to four scenarios in this territory, what are the ecosystem services trends in the selected biophysical and monetary indicators, and will knowledge of these trends help planners to shape a sustainable trajectory for the territory?
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