Seeing the Alps Anew: How Visitors Perceive Ecosystem Services in Alpine Protected Areas

A recent study by Rota et al. (2025) offers valuable insights into how visitors perceive the benefits of nature—known as ecosystem services (ES)—in two alpine protected areas in Italy: Gran Paradiso National Park (PNGP) and Adamello Regional Park (AD). Ecosystem services encompass cultural (e.g., aesthetic and recreational experiences), regulating (e.g., climate regulation), and provisioning services (e.g., water and food supply). Understanding public perceptions of these services is essential for developing conservation strategies that are both ecologically effective and socially supported.