Factors are criteria that influence (enhance or detract)
the viability of the objective under consideration. The
selection of factors for an MCE analysis can be done in
several ways. Factors can be selected based on existing
literature, they can be defined by an analyst, or they can
be defined by a group of experts. In this project, we used
the third option in order to have the input of stakeholders
with knowledge of forest ecosystem services and the
urban effects on such services. A group of scientists and
forest managers who work in El Yunque participated in
focus groups to identify and prioritize the criteria that
were subsequently used in the GIS analysis to produce the
map.