The Regionalization of Ecosystem Services to Support Sustainable Planning: The Case Study of the Province of Potenza

The term “Ecosystem Services” refers to the benefits provided by natural ecosystems to human society, which are crucial for human well-being and long-term sustainability. In order to effectively plan for the use of these services, spatial simulation of natural processes can help identify optimal methods of combining short-term economic development with long-term sustainability. This requires analyzing complex territorial systems and considering interactions between biodiversity, human activity, and the abiotic environment. Multifunctionality, or the joint provision of multiple services, functions, and benefits, is an important concept in the context of Ecosystem Services, as it measures the potential benefits provided to society and human well-being. This study proposes a methodology that uses regionalization algorithms to develop a territorial model capable of identifying sub-regions of specialization (areas with high provision of one or more ReMES) by analyzing maps of Ecosystem Services data. Regionalization is used to identify more geographically coherent regions that provide similar benefits for human well-being, rather than using cluster analysis. The results provide a measure of territorial performance that can be used to compare different development scenarios, including environmental protection and socio-economic development strategies. This information can help decision makers evaluate trade-offs associated with various policies and identify areas in which investments in Ecosystem Services can improve human actions and environmental conservation.