Participatory and deliberative assessment of the landscape and natural resource social values of marine and coastal ecosystem services: the case of Kyrenia (Girne) Region from Northern Cyprus.

This paper aims to identify and evaluate the landscape and natural resource (traditional ecological knowledge) social values of marine and coastal ecosystem services (MCESs) in Kyrenia (Girne) Region of Northern Cyprus. To this end, the objectives of the study were (1) to identify and evaluate the key landscape social values of MCESs, and (2) to record and assess the major marine and coastal natural resources harvested as traditional ecological knowledge. Participatory and deliberative research techniques were used to uncover both value types. The data on the marine and coastal natural resources as traditional ecological knowledge were obtained from the stakeholders through 6 in-depth discussion groups and 9 in-depth interviews. The quantitative data on the landscape social values of MCESs were collected with a questionnaire designed. Within this context; the respondents scored the importance of MCESs on a five-point Likert scale. The results showed that the stakeholders hold six landscape social values of MCESs: aesthetic, entertainment, life-sustaining, biodiversity, recreation, and nutrition. However, the total average relative degree of MCESs was found to be very low with 1.71 points. Besides, it was determined that the stakeholders harvest 29 fishes and 3 plant species from the marine and coastal ecosystems. The landscape and natural resource social values of MCESs, and relevant traditional ecological knowledge are important cultural heritage and guiding principles, which should be incorporated into the landscape and natural resource management policies in the region and elsewhere. A greater focus should also be given to integrating the values identified in the ecosystem services assessment.

Urban ecosystem services delivered by green open spaces: an example from Nicosia City in North Cyprus.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the major urban ecosystem services (UESs) delivered by a number of green open spaces (GOSs) and their contributions to the human wellbeing (HWB) in four selected sites located in the city of Nicosia of North Cyprus. The objectives of the study were to map the dominant GOSs in the selected sites, to identify the plant species cultivated in the GOSs, and to evaluate the major UESs delivered by the GOSs and their contributions to the components of HWB. The conceptual framework of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment was adopted to evaluate the linkages between the different types/components of GOSs, UESs, and HWB. The relevant data were collected by combining quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (semi-structured interviews and field surveys) research tools. The collected data were evaluated on a 1-5 Likert scale. Overall, 31 UESs and 14 components of HWB were evaluated. The results of the evaluation revealed that 229 plant species are cultivated in the GOSs. The total average relative value of the UESs delivered by the dominant GOSs was estimated to be very low with 2.43 points. The total average relative contribution of the UESs to the HWB seems to be low with 3.56 points. Plant diversity was identified as the main criterion that influences the degree of UESs. We hope that the results of this study can help policy-makers and planners to design more effective policies in terms of building resilient cities and societies in the city of Nicosia and elsewhere.