Assessing Ecosystem Service Value Dynamics in Japan’s National Park Based on Land-Use and Land-Cover Changes from a Tourism Promotion Perspective

Understanding the changes in land use and land cover (LULC) in national parks and their corresponding ecosystem service value (ESV) shifts is crucial for shaping future management policies and directions. However, comprehensive analyses in this research area that integrate tourism development perspectives are lacking. Therefore, this interdisciplinary study considers Akan-Mashu National Park in Japan as a case study. Using remote sensing data, LULC maps for the past 10 years were generated using the Google Earth Engine. The benefit transfer method was employed to calculate the corresponding ESV for each year, followed by a qualitative analysis of local tourism policy documents to explore how the park ecosystem has changed in the context of promoting tourism development. The results showed that LULC changes in Akan-Mashu National Park have been relatively stable over the past decade, with the most noticeable changes occurring in built-up areas. The results also confirm that tourism development has not had a significant negative impact on the ESV of the Akan-Mashu National Park. The recommendations proposed in this study can also be applied to other similar national parks or protected areas worldwide to achieve a dynamic balance between environmental protection and tourism development.