Socio-environmental determinants of the perceived value of moist Afromontane forest ecosystem services in Kaffa Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia

Abstract

The perceived value of Forest Ecosystem Services (FES) varies according to cultural, socio-economic, and environmental conditions. A scientific understanding of how these determinants interact and determine the perceived values of the local community of FES is beneficial for the planning and management of forest resources. This study aimed at contributing to this knowledge gap by examining the impacts of socio-environmental variables for the perceived use-value variation of FES. The sample sites were selected using a stratified sampling method. The data were collected through a social survey with face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. The results were analyzed using the general linear model, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Mann-Whitney U, and the Kruskal-Wallis test (χ2). For the general assessment, the respondents were provided with a list of 26 FES as stipulated in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Framework. The results illustrated that the Afromontane moist forests offer multiple Ecosystem Services (ES) that could provide social, economic, and physical well-being to residents. The local community prioritized provisioning and regulatory over cultural and supporting ES. The χ2 result showed that only the length of stay and age of the respondents significantly determined variation in the perceived value of FES. The CFA score suggests that a strong correlation was found between cultural, regulatory, and supportive ES. Overall, the respondents mentioned freshwater, climate regulation, and air quality regulation as the most important FES. In summary, the study helps to highlight the impacts of socio-environmental variables on the perceived value of FES and the need to integrate local values into the policy-making process.