Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology

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Zotero  

Mohammadyari F, Zarandian A, Mousazadeh R, Abdollahi K, Ramezani Mehrian M. Economic Valuation of Aesthetic Ecosystem Services Based on the Scenic Quality - InVEST. Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology 2026; 14 (4) :43-57
URL: http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1300-en.html

This study examines the aesthetic ecosystem service, which pertains to the visual quality of urban landscapes and its significance in cultural urban planning. Focusing on Chaharmahal-Va-Bakhtiari Province, Iran, the research employs the Scenic Quality module of the InVEST toolkit to model landscape visual quality. Input data include a digital elevation model, anthropogenic features that diminish visual appeal, and parameters such as viewshed radius and perceptual weighting of features. Results reveal that mountainous regions in the west and southwest, characterized by natural land covers, rangelands, and forests, exhibit high visual quality with minimal disturbance. Conversely, central, eastern, and southeastern areas—dominated by settlements, infrastructure, and agriculture—show a higher concentration of negative visual features and reduced aesthetic quality. The spatial analysis underscores the importance of aesthetic considerations in land-use planning, landscape management, and conservation of visually valuable areas. Economically, the aesthetic ecosystem service in the province is valued at approximately 284.3 billion Rials, based on the value transfer method. This valuation offers critical insights for policymakers and planners, enabling them to weigh benefits and costs of development options and to prioritize the protection of visually sensitive ecosystems within an integrated ecosystem services framework.