Given the direct dependence rural communities have on forests, understanding ecosystem services can empower communities and align stakeholders to define priorities and objectives for the sustainable management of forest resources. In this qualitative study on the forest ecosystem services in Bhutan, we assessed community awareness and perceptions of local forest ecosystem services, identified their top priorities, and evaluated how they have changed over time. The study focused on state reserve forest areas designated for commercial timber production, formally known as forest management units (FMU). We held focus group discussions separately with women and men associated with five FMUs in the central belt of the country. Participants identified 45 ecosystem services, with soil productivity, freshwater, timber, fresh air, construction stone, carbon sequestration, spiritual value, pollination, and local weather regulation comprising the most highly valued services critical to local livelihood and well-being. Participants felt that forest ecosystem services have been generally declining over the past decade in the FMUs and identified a need for forest restoration activities to improve their delivery. We recommend that state forest entities conduct an awareness campaign to empower communities with the conceptual framework and globally recognized concepts to advocate for their needs related to forests. We also recommend that biophysical and economic studies be conducted in these areas to seek evidence for causal linkages between natural resource use and the status of ecosystem services. This study contributes to a growing literature on ecosystem services in Bhutan and provides a basis for future studies to understand how management activities can impact the delivery of critical services.

鉴于农村社区对森林的直接依赖，了解生态系统服务可以赋予社区权力并使利益相关者协调一致，以确定森林资源可持续管理的优先事项和目标。在这项关于不丹森林生态系统服务的定性研究中，我们评估了社区对当地森林生态系统服务的认识和看法，确定了它们的首要任务，并评估了它们随时间的变化。该研究的重点是指定用于商业木材生产的国家储备林区，正式名称为森林经营单位 (FMU)。我们分别与与该国中部地区的五个 FMU 相关的女性和男性进行了焦点小组讨论。参与者确定了 45 个生态系统服务，包括土壤生产力、淡水、木材、新鲜空气、建筑石材、碳封存、精神价值、授粉和当地天气调节，包括对当地生计和福祉至关重要的最有价值的服务。参与者认为 FMU 的森林生态系统服务在过去十年中普遍下降，并确定需要开展森林恢复活动以改善其交付。我们建议国家森林实体开展宣传活动，以概念框架和全球公认的概念为社区赋权，以倡导他们与森林相关的需求。我们还建议在这些领域进行生物物理和经济研究，以寻找自然资源利用与生态系统服务状况之间因果关系的证据。