BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//pretalx//talks.staging.osgeo.org//foss4g-europe-2025//talk//CJGTA D BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:CET BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20001029T040000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=-1SU;BYMONTH=10 TZNAME:CET TZOFFSETFROM:+0200 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20000326T030000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=-1SU;BYMONTH=3 TZNAME:CEST TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0200 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:pretalx-foss4g-europe-2025-CJGTAD@talks.staging.osgeo.org DTSTART;TZID=CET:20250716T143000 DTEND;TZID=CET:20250716T150000 DESCRIPTION:This study explores the application of the open-source InVEST ( Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs) [1] tool to mode l ecosystem services in Armenia\, utilizing a scenario-based approach. By simulating two hypothetical scenarios\, where all natural terrestrial lan d cover classes are replaced with bare ground or croplands\, the study emp hasizes the critical role of terrestrial ecosystems in ecosystem service provisioning. The results are published through Web GIS platforms powered by open-source framework NextGIS Web (https://github.com/nextgis/nextgiswe b)\, providing an interactive medium for engaging civil society and foster ing public awareness. This integration of advanced modeling techniques wit h accessible web-based dissemination aims to influence strategic policy-ma king in forest management\, water resource allocation\, and urban planning . The findings highlight the potential of scenario analysis and Web GIS to support sustainable development by illustrating the value of ecosystem se rvices to both policymakers and the public.\n\nStudy scope\n\nEcosystem se rvices\, the benefits humans derive from nature\, are crucial for supporti ng human well-being [2]. In the context of Armenia\, a country with divers e landscapes and significant environmental challenges\, understanding and sustainable managing these services is vital. The widely discussed bill in Armenia since the beginning of 2025\, "On the Launch of the Process of Ac cession of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union"\, increases the need to raise public awareness about issues of sustainable use of ecosyste ms\, maintaining ecosystem services and biodiversity protection \nThis stu dy employs the InVEST tool\, an open-source software suite designed for ec osystem service modeling\, to assess critical services on example of Sedim ent Delivery Ratio\, Seasonal Water Yield\, Urban Cooling\, and Urban Floo d Risk Mitigation models. By adopting a scenario-based approach\, we aim t o estimate the physical volume of ES provided by natural ecosystems and ch anges in it from 2017 and 2023. Our approach involves several key steps: d ata collection\, scenario development\, models parametrization\, statistic s calculations over model outcomes\, mapping and results publishing via We b GIS. \n\nMaterials and methods\n\nFirst\, we collected geospatial data r elevant to the four ecosystem services\, including land cover\, relief\, s oil properties\, climate data\, and urban infrastructure. We used only glo bal public domain datasets and public domain Armenian sources to increase study transparency and reproductivity. Source datasets were transformed to meet different scenarios conditions\, for example land cover dataset was recalculated to scenarios “all natural vegetation turns to bare land” and “all terrestrial land cover classes except built-up areas turn to cr opland”.\nThen\, we calibrated four InVEST models to reflect the specifi c conditions of Armenia\, ensuring accurate simulations of each service un der different scenarios. Selected InVEST models:\n1. Sediment Delivery Rat io (SDR) model evaluates how well a land area can prevent sediment from be ing eroded and transported\, based on factors like terrain\, climate\, veg etation\, and land management practices\n2. Seasonal Water Yield model cal culates the amount of water generated by a watershed and delivered to stre ams. Its main outputs are quickflow\, local recharge\, and baseflow. Quick flow measures rainfall that flows over the land surface immediately or sho rtly after rain. Local recharge quantifies water that infiltrates the soil \, minus what is lost to evaporation or vegetation use. Baseflow accounts for water reaching streams more slowly via underground pathways\, includin g during dry periods. The model relies on inputs such as elevation\, soil properties\, land cover\, rainfall patterns.\n3. Urban Cooling model evalu ates heat mitigation by calculating an index based on factors like shade\, evapotranspiration\, surface reflectivity (albedo)\, and proximity to coo ling areas such as parks.\n4. Urban Flood Risk Mitigation model estimates the reduction in runoff\, or the volume of stormwater retained at each pix el relative to the total storm volume\, based on land cover and soil prope rties.\n\nOutcomes of all models under different scenarios were mapped and published as web maps. Also\, statistics for the most significant outputs were calculated for each province and major watershed basin of Armenia.\n \nResults and Discussion\n\nThe scenario analysis revealed significant var iations in ecosystem service delivery under different hypothetical scenari os. Replacing natural vegetation with bare land\, for example\, led to inc reased sediment delivery and reduced baseflow\, highlighting the protectiv e role of forests and grasslands in maintaining soil stability and water s upply.\nThe Urban Flood Risk Mitigation model indicated that natural veget ation could lower flood risk\, protecting densely populated areas from ex treme rain events.\nPresented in the form of maps and connected statistica l reports\, these scenarios are very illustrative of the role of ecosystem s and how dramatic the effects of forest destruction or large-scale agricu ltural expansion can be. So\, to maximize the impact of our findings\, we utilized the open-source Web GIS framework NextGIS Web to publish the resu lts as interactive web maps. Its advanced integration with desktop tool QG IS\, which we used as a primary tool of mapping\, data preparation and pos t-processing\, saved a lot of time — once being prepared in QGIS\, maps are ready to be published on the web. From the point of view of end-users\ , this platform allows them to explore the data visually on the web-maps\, fostering greater understanding and engagement. By making the results pub licly accessible\, we aim to raise awareness about the importance of ecosy stem services and encourage informed decision-making among policymakers an d the general public.\n\nOur study demonstrates the utility of scenario-ba sed modeling and Web GIS in supporting sustainable resource management. Th e insights gained from the InVEST models can inform policy decisions in se veral key areas such as forest management\, water resource management\, ag ricultural practices and urban planning. Open-source technologies and publ ic domain data as a core of the study open wide prospects for reproducing similar research for any other country.\n\nSource data and modeling outcom es are available for public access here: https://bccarmenia.nextgis.com/re source/113/display?panel=layers DTSTAMP:20260527T053248Z LOCATION:PA01 (Quarticle) SUMMARY:Modeling ecosystem services in Armenia using InVEST: a scenario-bas ed approach with NextGIS Web integration for public awareness and engageme nt - Eduard Kazakov URL:https://talks.staging.osgeo.org/foss4g-europe-2025/talk/CJGTAD/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR