Perceived importance of ecosystem services in the Białowieża Forest for local communities – Does proximity matter?

A study reveals that the perceived importance of ecosystem services (ES) from the Białowieża Forest (BF), a European biodiversity hotspot, declines significantly with distance from the forest. The research found particularly sharp differences between areas within 3 km and those 3-15 km away, highlighting varying benefits from tourism and costs due to conservation restrictions. This challenges the assumption that local communities can be treated as a homogenous group in terms of their reliance on ES. The study used surveys of 719 respondents from 35 villages to assess both the declared use of ES and its perceived economic impact on households. These findings suggest that spatial proximity to protected areas plays a critical role in shaping local perceptions and dependencies, offering insights for more effective management of contested conservation zones.

Mikusiński, G., & Niedziałkowski, K. (2020). Perceived importance of ecosystem services in the Białowieża Forest for local communities – Does proximity matter? Land Use Policy, 97, 104667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104667