13. Cultural Ecosystem Services of Mangroves: A Review of Models and Methods

Mangrove forests are important for sustaining and enhancing ecosystem services that are beneficial for both local and regional communities as well as the global environment. Regardless of the significant research carried out on mangroves and the valuation of ecosystem services, the literature demonstrates a deficit in the valuation of cultural services. Most published studies focus on aspects of cultural services based on the ability to measure values with market prices, whereas the importance of cultural services in the lives of local communities gets sidelined. In this chapter, we have studied the interlinkages of cultural services provided by mangroves and the indigenous population and how the dimensions of the well-being of local communities are associated with their cultural practices. The chapter sheds light on the literature uncertainties and the importance of studying attitudes and perceptions of local people toward the cultural ecosystem services for forest management and policy planning processes.