The Role of Ecosystem Health in Community Well-Being

By Nathan Rayl

Imagine you are standing on a pristine beach, hearing the waves crashing on the shore, listening to the sound of shorebirds calling overhead, and breathing the humid sea air as your toes sink into the soft sand. Watching the sunset scatter shades of orange and red across the sky, you feel an overwhelming sense of peace and tranquility. It is a captivating feeling as you find yourself entirely engrossed in the scenery around you. This experience represents a deeper connection to the environment, an intangible and non-quantifiable service provided by the ecosystem. These non-material benefits provided by the ecosystem are what many ecologists refer to as Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES).  

Cultural ecosystem services refer to the non-material benefits individuals or communities experience from ecosystems through spiritual enrichment, stress relief, reflection, recreation, and aesthetic appeal. Distinct from economic services provided by the ecosystem, cultural services feed the soul, livelihood, and well-being of the community. However, these services are no less important to the functioning of a community. In fact, these intangible benefits provide the greatest motivation to protect the environment, representing the communal bonds that tie us to the natural world. Healthy ecosystems don't just provide food, tourism, and jobs; they also provide meaning, identity, and social connection in profound ways. 

Ecosystems provide communities with a range of services. Ecologists have identified four main categories of ecosystem services, each contributing to community well-being. Provisioning services provide natural goods like water, food, and medicine. Supporting services encompass the basic ecological principles that support other systems, including nutrient cycling, soil formation, and primary production. Regulatory services control aspects such as climate change mitigation, water purification, and disease control. Cultural ecosystem services represent a unique fourth category. Unlike other ecosystem services, cultural services are intangible, immeasurable indicators of community well-being. These intangible benefits are inextricably linked to human attitudes towards the local environment. Reverence for nature, sense of agency and stewardship, sense of place, identity, recreation, and aesthetic appeal are just a few aspects of cultural services. These cultural ecosystem services exist uniquely in the realm of human emotion, experience, and connection to nature. 

What is fascinating about cultural ecosystem services is their multidimensional complexity. While most services provide a single, clear function, cultural services provide a variety of benefits, with each individual experiencing their surroundings in a different way. Consider a beach sunset; some might pay little attention to the sun, deciding to play in the water instead, while others might be captivated by the aesthetic beauty or undergo an existential realization. Each cultural service is experienced through the unique lens of the individual. Where some find recreation, others may find spiritual enlightenment. The combined experiences of a community shape the local attitude and reverence for nature. Furthermore, these attitudes determine the level of stewardship and action in the community and even the political decisions made for the ecosystem. 

Communities working towards the common goal of conservation experience more social interconnection and community contentment. In one such example, communities in the Quezon province of the Philippines found that people's participation in mangrove restoration projects contributed to the increase in social capital and communal well-being. This is clear evidence that community-based conservation improves social relationships, trust, and shared norms. This case study emphasizes the importance of communities working together to improve the ecosystem in the interest of the common good. Too often, ecosystems are viewed as monetary resources for extraction, and the tragedy of the commons becomes a corrupting force against nature. 

Ecosystems experiencing declining health will shape community attitudes towards the local natural environment. A notable example of this phenomenon is seen following a major coral bleaching event in the Great Barrier Reef from 2016 to 2017. Survey data from before and after the coral bleaching event reveals a dramatic shift in community attitude, with an increase in users describing the ecosystem as "endangered,” "dying,” "sad,” and "threatened.” These attitudes have a profound negative impact on eco-tourism and community well-being, stifling positive attitudes towards protecting and preserving nature's beauty. When community consensus turns negative, individuals' feelings of self-efficacy and responsibility decrease, making communities feel disillusioned about their role in environmental protection. 

These findings reveal an urgent need for community engagement to inspire changes in ecosystem health. You may be asking yourself how you can make an impact in your own community. Thankfully, there are many organizations dedicated to community-based conservation. If you live in Massachusetts, you can find many volunteer opportunities through the Massachusetts State Park Department, Mass Audubon, and right here at Seaside Sustainability. Throughout the entire U.S., there are many volunteer opportunities with organizations such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, and the American Conservation Experience. By taking action to conserve our natural ecosystem, we can build communities with a strong sense of stewardship and engagement, create new social connections, and give our future generations the safe environment they deserve.