The capacity of urban parks for providing regulating and cultural ecosystem services versus their social perception

Planning of green urban infrastructure is based on guidelines developed by experts and official standards. Currently, however, there is insufficient understanding of the social perception of diverse benefits arising from green areas. This article aims to address this gap through a study of Citadel Park in the city of Pozna ' n, Central West of Poland. To achieve this, a set of methods was used, including a field survey with a sample of 179 park visitors, analysis of source materials and statistical analysis. The study showed a dissonance between the capacity of the urban park to provide ecosystem services (ESs) and its perception by citizens. This includes, not only focusing public attention on cultural services, but also, within the regulating ESs, on benefits that have a local dimension and are directly experienced by the public. One of the important findings of the study was the positive effect of education, which clearly expands the range of perceived benefits and their underpinnings. The results of the research may be interesting for many cities facing the challenge of tying the needs articulated by society with the preservation of complex contributions of green areas to urban well-being in the decision-making process.