Does ecosystem services valuation reflect local cultural valuations? Comparative analysis of resident perspectives in four major urban river ecosystems

Anthropologists have long considered how people create and perceive the value of goods and services. While valuation of nature as a commodity is one means of conservation, locally resonant values of nature may not follow market logic. We apply the ecosystem services valuation (ESV) framework to four major urban river ecosystems (Australia, New Zealand, United States, and United Kingdom) to compare and contrast value (the alienable goods that are readily commodified and monetized) and values (the inalienable goods and rights that defy easy comparability and recognition). In interviews, respondents (N = 283) living near the rivers described the local river-associated ecosystem services (ES) they experienced. Thematic content analysis of coded interview data showed that respondents in all four sites recognize ES in their local areas related to rivers, and these resonate with the value-oriented ESV frameworks. While the ESV framework offers a way for scholars and policymakers to easily compare the monetary value of ES, our results indicate that rivers have locally ascribed value that defies easy commodification. In particular, our work highlights the local importance of priceless, inalienable values perceived to be conferred across ES and not just restricted to cultural services.