Analysis of ecosystem service supply and demand at the landscape scale: EcoServ-GIS mapping in County Durham, UK

The results of an ecosystem service mapping analysis using the EcoServ-GIS toolkit are presented for County Durham. EcoServ-GIS relies on widely accessible data to map provisioning, regulating and cultural services, and includes tools to estimate the quality of greenspace for accessing nature and watching wildlife. The fine resolution maps provide quantitative information for decision making. EcoServ-GIS is being trialled in several projects and is being promoted via the Wildlife Trusts for use in ecosystem service assessments across England.  

Analysis of the demand for, and environmental capacity to provide, 12 ecosystem services are presented. The multifunctionality of the landscape is interpreted and areas of co-occurrence and gaps are highlighted. Implications of the analysis for local land use planning via housing allocation assessments and the development of an urban Green Infrastructure Strategy are presented. Finally the relative strengths of the ecosystem services are summarised at sub-county geographic units to emphasise areas of high and low service supply and demand. The use of such maps in strategic planning for ecosystem service offsetting and in identifying potential payments for ecosystem service schemes is discussed.