3) Cultural Services
These are the nonmaterial benefits people obtain from ecosystems through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, reflection, recreation, and aesthetic experiences, including:
• Spiritual and religious values: Many religions attach spiritual and religious values to ecosystems or their components.
• Cultural diversity: The diversity of ecosystems is one factor influencing the diversity of cultures.
• Knowledge systems (traditional and formal): Ecosystems influence the types of knowledge systems developed by different cultures.
• Inspiration: Ecosystems provide a rich source of inspiration for art, folklore, national symbols, architecture, and advertising.
• Aesthetic values: Many people find beauty or aesthetic value in various aspects of ecosystems, as reflected in the support for parks, “scenic drives” and the selection of housing locations.
• Educational values: Ecosystems and their components and processes provide the basis for both formal and informal education in many societies.
• Sense of place: Many people value the “sense of place” that is associated with recognized features of their environment, including aspects of the ecosystem.
• Recreation and ecotourism: People often choose where to spend their leisure time based in part on the characteristics of the natural or cultivated landscapes in a particular area.
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This hierarchical system of preference is in most cases linked to the short term needs of individuals and communities and also reflects various difficulty of quantifying and monitoring the slowly changing factors which negatively affetcs many of the regulating and supporting services. However, the lack of attention afforded to the regulatory and supporting services may result in a lack of resilience and render socio-ecological systems more vulnerable to environmental
These are the nonmaterial benefits people obtain from ecosystems through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, reflection, recreation, and aesthetic experiences, including:
• Spiritual and religious values: Many religions attach spiritual and religious values to ecosystems or their components.
• Cultural diversity: The diversity of ecosystems is one factor influencing the diversity of cultures.
• Knowledge systems (traditional and formal): Ecosystems influence the types of knowledge systems developed by different cultures.
• Inspiration: Ecosystems provide a rich source of inspiration for art, folklore, national symbols, architecture, and advertising.
• Aesthetic values: Many people find beauty or aesthetic value in various aspects of ecosystems, as reflected in the support for parks, “scenic drives” and the selection of housing locations.
• Educational values: Ecosystems and their components and processes provide the basis for both formal and informal education in many societies.
• Sense of place: Many people value the “sense of place” that is associated with recognized features of their environment, including aspects of the ecosystem.
• Recreation and ecotourism: People often choose where to spend their leisure time based in part on the characteristics of the natural or cultivated landscapes in a particular area.
• …show more content…
This hierarchical system of preference is in most cases linked to the short term needs of individuals and communities and also reflects various difficulty of quantifying and monitoring the slowly changing factors which negatively affetcs many of the regulating and supporting services. However, the lack of attention afforded to the regulatory and supporting services may result in a lack of resilience and render socio-ecological systems more vulnerable to environmental