The results reveal how both the ecosystem services approach and social impact assessment support stakeholder driven adaptive land use planning and management. This finding is illustrated in Fig. 3 and with the help of Tables 2 and 3. An aggregation of both approaches tends to promote the integration of the ecosystem services approach into planning processes and delivers substantial contributions to the development of sustainable spatial planning projects. The results suggest that the social impacts can be used as a ‘map’ to assist the guidance of ecosystem services. These social impacts may be characterized by the demands of society, as expressed by the stakeholders involved. Additionally, interdependencies with respect to society (social impacts)maybe examined in relation to their influence and the understanding of ecosystem services and future development schemes. Therefore, the integrated process discussed here is a step forward, away from conceptual frameworks, theories and more formal ways of practical integration (Daily and Matson, 2008) towards an informal and practical approach, thereby making planning and decision-making more effective (de Groot et al., 2010).
The case study revealed that an evaluation of causalities and characteristics that take stakeholders’ opinions into account leads to an assessment of their interests, preferences and needs in relation to natural resources. This guideline is likely to provide an adequate basis for the development of action-oriented suggestions concerning spatial planning strategies. The concept of sustainable development was shown to be applicable when environmental and socioeconomic impacts are considered in an integrated way. Reflecting on the guideline, it is apparent that on the one hand research and knowledge about environmental and functional changes alone, for example climate change, cannot steer such processes. However, on the other hand, the consideration of social change processes without consideration of the impacts on or due to changes in ecosystems is also not adequate. There- fore, a trans disciplinary approach is necessary, addressing and incorporating the interdependency of nature and society and leading to a holistic understanding of change processes. Within the guideline, the borders of research have been exceeded and action- oriented suggestions for sustainable land use developed, enhancing the interactions between science and society through stakeholder engagement and decision support.