Understanding socio-spatial perceptions and Badlands ecosystem services valuation. Is there any welfare in soil erosion?

Abstract

Badlands are one of the dryland ecosystems where the absence of the regulating ecosystem service (ES) of erosion control enables the provision of cultural ESs, which include, among others, a singular landscape. The lack of consideration of the social value of these areas, due to their low productive value and low biodiversity, has led to their transformation and disappearance. At the same time, the scientific literature that deals with social preferences for the management of these ecosystems is scarce, despite the need to manage these spaces to face the future adverse effects of climate change. This gap can be reduced by establishing a framework for the socio-economic valuation of the Badlands. Therefore, these paper aims to evaluate the social demand for the implementation of management measures to ensure Badlands protection, using as a case study the Region of Murcia Badlands (SE Spain). To this end, a survey was carried out among a representative sample of households in this region; the willingness to pay (WTP) to protect such singular ecosystems and the factors that influence their valuation were studied, especially the spatial component, analysing in detail the protest behaviour (PB). The results show a strong PB in the population (44.29 % of the sample), with a mean WTP of 15.93 €/household/year. Despite the population's preference for the promotion of regulating ESs in eroded areas in general, cultural ESs are more important in the case of Badlands, positively in terms of WTP and negatively for PB. Spatial factors were found to be of great importance in the valuation, showing the existence of local patterns. These results will help decision-makers to achieve more efficient and socially accepted spatial planning in the management of singular eroded areas.