Assessment of Ecosystem Services in Panul Community Park, La Florida Municipality, Metropolitan Region
Abstract
Panul Community Park is located in the precordillera of La Florida municipality and is the last native sclerophyllous forest within the urban limits of Greater Santiago. The park is in private hands, with owners seeking to develop an urbanization project on the site. To protect it, the community has collectively envisioned the project of a Community Park. Due to its easy access and the absence of regulated use, a unique socio-ecological dynamic has emerged in the city of Santiago, characterized by a diverse range of key stakeholders and, consequently, a wide variety of interactions with the ecosystem. This makes an assessment of the ecosystem services provided by Panul particularly relevant.
This study identifies, values, and spatially locates the ecosystem services of the Park from the perspective of key stakeholders, considering potential changes in the territory. A semi-structured survey was conducted using random and convenience sampling, reaching 53 samples that covered the main groups of key stakeholders. Quantitative data were processed statistically using Excel and RStudio, while qualitative data were analyzed through discourse analysis using an inductive-deductive method. An expert consultation was additionally carried out to validate the information obtained from the surveys.
The results show the presence and provision of at least 17 ecosystem services in Panul, with regulation, maintenance, and ecosystem support services being the most important for both key stakeholders and experts. Spatially, a concentration of cultural service provision is observed in the central zone of the park, coinciding with the areas of densest vegetation. Regulation and support services are strongly present throughout the territory, with a predominance in the higher-altitude zones. This identification and valuation are directly linked to the conservation of the Park: if the proposed subdivision and road projects were to materialize, not only would service provision in the areas below the development sites be affected, but all surrounding sectors would also be impacted, since the flow of ecosystem services is not static. It is important to note that there are limitations in the scope of the method, as this study was conducted during the COVID-19 health emergency.
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The information archived in Archivo Panul was collected using automated tools, so there may be inconsistencies between what is presented here and the original link. You can visit the original link at the top of this article.