Cultural Ecosystem Services

Overview

As part of the Wetland Conservation and Stewardship Pilot Project initiated by the Beaver Hills Biosphere Association in 2019, an additional goal was set to initiate an inventory of cultural ecosystem services (CES) associated with wetlands, focusing on both traditional (Indigenous and Métis) and western knowledge, to develop a wetland extension model for landowners and land managers within the Biosphere.

Objectives

To develop a foundation for future CES inventory work, this project sought to understand the place of culture in the work of a biosphere, synthesize contemporary debates and understandings of CES, articulate the potential contributions that engaging with CES can have for the conservation and stewardship of wetlands, and highlight several key questions that need to be addressed while pursuing an inventory of CES.

Outcomes

Completed in 2020, this project identified key points that highlight the value and raise important considerations for undertaking CES assessment work, characterized several methods for assessing CES, and presented several recommendations to consider when moving forward with an inventory of cultural ecosystem services to support the conservation and stewardship of wetland ecosystems in the Beaver Hills.