Abstract

In the rural Mediterranean landscapes of Andalusia, Spain, private landowners play a crucial yet often underappreciated role in sustaining cultural ecosystem services (CES)—the non-material benefits derived from nature, such as a sense of place, traditional knowledge, recreation, and spiritual fulfillment. A recent study by Rescia et al. (2025) investigates the contributions of these landowners to CES provision and explores strategies to enhance their role in the future.