Beyond nature conservation? Perceived benefits and role of the ecosystem services framework in protected landscape areas in the Czech Republic

Protected areas safeguard species and habitats, but also provide ecosystem services (ES) and quite often simultaneously protect landscape character and associated cultural values. Exploratory qualitative research and interviews specifically have been rarely used to investigate benefits of protected areas and associated challenges in their delivery as perceived by their managers. There is also a lack of attention to the potential role of the ES framework in nature conservation decision-making in protected areas. We address the gaps by identifying: (1) perceived benefits (by their managers) that protected landscape areas provide; (2) challenges and trade-offs that protected landscape areas face in delivering these benefits; (3) role of the ES framework in protected landscape areas decision-making. We conducted a qualitative analysis of 20 semi-structured interviews with heads of Protected Landscape Areas Administrations in the Czech Republic. Cultural or non-material benefits were the most referenced group closely followed by regulating benefits. However, the single most frequently referenced benefit was Habitat creation and maintenance, emphasizing the role of protected landscape areas in protecting and managing habitats and ecosystems. The positive and negative themes showed a key role of various types of land-use management (esp. agriculture and forestry) and their enhancing or deteriorating effects on specific benefits (esp. Habitat creation and maintenance). All respondents perceived future implementation of the ES framework as a possible contribution to support goals of nature conservation and decision-making in protected landscape areas. This study provides empirical evidence for a strong societal role of protected landscape areas by safeguarding specific benefits and their essential role in nature conservation. The use of the ES framework sheds light on key benefits of protected landscape areas but also key challenges and trade-offs in delivering these benefits.