Perceived ecosystem services in wetland parks: the case of Guangzhou, China

Wetlands are essential for maintaining the regional water balance, regulating the regional climate and preserving biodiversity. In China, natural wetlands have declined due to urban sprawl. In recent years though, new wetland parks (WPs) have been designed and constructed to compensate for the loss of natural wetlands and to help reduce the risk of urban flooding. WPs have also been created to improve urban resilience and enhance well-being. However, the benefits people get from these WPs are not well understood.
This thesis examines the Chinese public’s perceptions of the ecosystem services (ESs) provided by wetland parks and compares them with the ESs measured using technical knowledge. The study location is Guangzhou, a megacity located in the Pearl River Delta. Guangzhou has been a pioneer in creating wetland parks in China. All citizens benefit from WPs through their capacity to reduce flood risk to nearby communities, but additional benefits may accrue to those who visit the parks. Visitors were the participants in this study and their views on ESs were noted. Based on a literature review, content analysis of social media data and an online survey, it is found that the most valued ecosystem services include wildlife habitat, aesthetics and recreation. The perception of these three ESs were analysed using mixed methods including a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, participatory mapping and a discrete choice experiment, through a case study of two WPs in Guangzhou. For the purpose of augmenting the benefits that visitors receive from WPs, perception-influencing variables were identified and the relationship between the three ESs was addressed. The findings indicate that the importance of wildlife habitat service was highlighted by visitors as having health benefits and leading to aesthetic appreciation but the species richness of WPs was underestimated. The perception of the three ESs were correlated; when the three ESs cannot be enhanced at the same time, the majority of visitors prioritise the aesthetic service, which benefits them the most. Improving wildlife habitat service and aesthetic value while maintaining the recreation service could provide the best utility. The results provide empirical evidence for managing ESs provided by WPs and encourage the development of similar urban wetlands.