Evaluating Urban Residents' Perceived Value of River Cultural Ecosystem Services Across Diverse River Restoration Initiatives

Urban rivers, as an indispensable component of urban ecological environments, possess multifaceted ecosystem service values according to academic journal standards. The cultural ecosystem service values of these rivers are closely intertwined with urban residents and play an increasingly vital role in urban social development. Accurately estimating the cultural ecosystem service values of urban rivers is crucial for a profound understanding of their value and the undeniable importance of effective urban river management. The restoration of river recreational spaces can effectively enhance the recreational ecological environment of rivers, thereby fully realizing the value of the cultural ecosystem services provided by rivers. Consequently, assessing the willingness to pay for river recreational restoration becomes a key indicator reflecting residents' evaluations of the cultural ecosystem service values of rivers. This study employs a choice experiment method, utilizing estimates of willingness to pay for river recreational environmental restoration, to assess various aspects of the value of cultural ecosystem services provided by rivers. Furthermore, the study explores the differences in individual attributes of residents in estimating the value of cultural ecosystem services provided by rivers. The results indicate that the recreational value estimation of urban river restoration is the highest among the cultural ecosystem services, followed by aesthetic landscape services and cultural services. Factors such as residents' recreational habits, environmental awareness, and hometown culture influence willingness to pay. The conclusions of this study offer theoretical and practical guidance for urban river management, emphasizing the importance of river recreational restoration to cultural ecosystem services.