Landscape experiences as a cultural ecosystem service in a Nordic context: Concepts, values and decision-making

• Main Author: Lindhjem, Henrik (auth)
• Other Authors: Reinvang, Rasmus (auth), Zandersen, Marianne (auth)
• Format: Electronic Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Nordic Council of Ministers 2015
• Series: TemaNord
• Subjects: Sustainability; turism; public finance; rural environment; sustainable development; nature; environment; Cultural heritage; Denmark; Ecosystem services; Finland; Landscape; Nordic countries; Norway; Sweden; Wind power
• Online Access: OAPEN Library: download the publication; OAPEN Library: description of the publication

Cultural ecosystem services in the form of experiences derived from landscapes are potentially important, but often overlooked. Given the large and unprecedented landscape changes many of the Nordic countries are undergoing, there is a need to find ways of including people's preferences and the value of landscape impacts in policy assessments and decision-making processes. The project aim has been to synthesize knowledge about the magnitude and value of landscape experiences, and investigate current practices and examples of how landscape impacts are incorporated (or not) in policy assessments and decision-making contexts in the Nordics. The literature demonstrates potentially high unaccounted welfare loss from landscape change. We find clear weaknesses in current practices, that a second phase will try to address. The project was carried out by Vista Analysis in Oslo and Department of Environmental Science at Aarhus University from 2014-15.