Assessing, valuing and mapping ecosystem services at city level: The case of Uppsala (Sweden)

Abstract

Urbanization is an important driver of environmental changes causing an increasing demand of ecosystem services while altering natural ecosystems. Yet, the sustainable management of urban areas can support the long-term provision of goods and services typical of healthy and resilient ecosystems and essential for human well-being. In this study, multiple ecosystem services generated by forest, agricultural (cropland and grassland), and urban areas in the municipality of Uppsala (Sweden) were first assessed in biophysical terms and then valued in money units. Afterwards, the economic value of provisioning and regulating services was spatialized using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The economic value of all investigated services amounted to 1.81 billion Swedish Kronor (SEK) or 198 million € per year, of which: 80% generated by forest areas, 19% by agricultural areas, and 1% by green urban areas. Considering the size of different land uses, the average economic value of green urban areas was the highest (20,000 SEKha−1 or 2200 € ha−1), followed by forest areas (11,387 SEKha−1 or 1250 €ha−1), and agricultural areas (6398 SEKha−1 or 703 €ha−1). The integration between the assessment of the biophysical and economic value of several ecosystem services provided by different land uses as well as their spatial analysis allowed a deeper understanding on the ecological life-support system to the urban area of Uppsala. In conclusion, we maintain that the interplay between nature services and human settlements can be better explored by using an interdisciplinary approach providing ecological and economic information integrated in support of policy makers and urban planners.