A virtual-reality and soundscape-based approach for assessment and management of cultural ecosystem services in urban forest

The work develops an analysis based on integrated perception of landscape and soundscape in urban forests (UF) to classify recreational suitability at spatial level. Scientific literature stresses a lack of decision support systems allowing for management of cultural ecosystem services in UF. An innovative approach grounded on landscape and soundscape’s individual perceptions are implemented to cope with this need. Geographic Information System, virtual reality and psychoacoustic parameters are merged to allow for an improved elicitation of willingness to visit UF. Geostatistical methods and the use of the Street View application enable for spatialization of output. The test area is located in an urban park of the city of Florence (Italy). Results stress the importance of logistics and tree variables (e.g., density) to assess the cultural service in the case of visual perception. Natural and people-related sounds as well as aural loudness seem to be significant for integrated perception, in addition to visual parameters. The open-source approach applied in the research can simplify replication to other case studies and the updating of the output. Future improvement and integration of the work for UF recreational planning are suggested.