Intangible Bonds: Cultural Ecosystem Services and Landscape Practices

Abstract

This article sheds light on the complex interaction between humans and the natural world, as well as the significance of Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) in interpreting this bond. CES refers to the non-material and immaterial benefits that nature gives to human society, including nature-based tourism, landscape aesthetics, sense of place, cultural heritage, and spiritual inspiration. However, the rapid social shifts have influenced both human behaviors and the human-nature relationships, while reshaping the supply–demand relationships between CES and people. For landscape practitioners, it is necessary to use innovative approaches to comprehend and appreciate the complex cultural links between the natural ecosystem and our cultural attachments, and build a more sustainable interaction via landscape practices. The authors claim that CES can act as a bridge between landscape architecture and social shifts, offering a multidisciplinary approach to comprehending human-nature linkages and supporting sustainable development.