Identifying the Impacts of Land Use/Land Cover Changes on Ecosystem Services from a Geospatial Perspective in Albany County

Ecosystem services encompass the broad array of direct and indirect advantages that people derive from nature and its ecosystems. Considering accelerating environmental change and degradation, recognizing the importance of these services is more crucial than ever, as they illustrate the many ways in which healthy ecosystems sustain human life. However, these services are diminishing at a rapid and unprecedented rate, raising global concern over both the transformations taking place and their root causes. Among the leading threats, land-use change stands out as a particularly significant one, influenced by a variety of driving factors. Albany County, New York, characterized by its mix of forested highlands and urban areas, offers a compelling setting for assessing essential ecosystem services. This study evaluated how three projected land-use scenarios for the county would affect three vital services: recreation, water quality, and net primary productivity (NPP). The findings of this study demonstrate the major impacts that land-use changes have on the availability of key ecosystem services in the region. Through scenario-based analysis of ecosystem functions, the research sheds light on both the risks and opportunities associated with future land-use paths.