Determination of social value based on cultural ecosystem services and natural infrastructures in rural settlements using participatory gis

Cultural ecosystem services (CES) play a crucial role in supporting rural well-being; however, their spatial distribution and local perceptions have yet to be thoroughly examined. This thesis aims to assess the social values of CES in rural landscapes by focusing on the Şarkikaraağaç and Yenişarbademli districts of Isparta Province. Using Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS) and the Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES) model, we collected and analyzed spatial data from 836 community surveys, mapping 3771 CES value points. Sentinel-2A imagery and derived indices (NDVI, NDWI, SAVI, NDBI) were used to classify landscape infrastructures into green, blue, yellow, and grey categories. The results show that aesthetic and recreational services were most highly valued, followed by biodiversity, spiritual, and therapeutic values. Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests revealed significant demographic and spatial variation in CES preferences, while Principal Component Analysis highlighted two key dimensions of value perception. MaxEnt-based modeling within SolVES confirmed the spatial distribution of CES with high predictive accuracy (AUC > 0.93). Findings underscore the importance of integrating CES into sustainable land-use planning and suggest that the type of infrastructure and proximity to natural features significantly influence the valuation of CES in rural settings.