Rural abandonment and associated rapid urbanization, agricultural intensification, and climate change have been key factors transforming terrestrial landscapes, with significant impacts on the environmental quality and the ecosystem services (ES) provided to human welfare. In this study, two understudied rural river basins located in Thrace, North Greece, were selected to assess changes in landscape pattern, composition, and eco-environmental quality and ecosystem services values (ESV). Cloud-based remote sensing (RS) analyses of multitemporal Landsat imagery in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform were applied for multitemporal land use/land cover changes (LULCC) quantification between 1984–2021, along with landscape pattern, eco-environmental quality, and ES assessment. Although ecosystem changes observed were not extensive over this period, eco-environmental quality appeared to be affected due to fragmentation. Preserving the ecosystem’s naturalness can enhance cultural ES to avoid further values loss originating from provisioning ES exploitation. This study highlights the strong connection between landscape configuration and eco-environmental quality, emphasizing the strong impact that anthropogenic activities have on the environment. The monitoring of the effects of LULCC on ecosystem health and the economic value of ES is crucial for the introduction of spatial planning and restoration policies.

Social-Ecological Systems (SESs) are systems with close linkage between nature and societies. Coastal lagoons are SESs crucial for the ecosystem services (ESs) provided, especially in the Mediterranean Basin, facing threats from anthropogenic activities and climate change. Management strategies focusing solely on ecological elements’ improvement have not yielded the desired outcomes, as they often neglect the needs and perspectives of stakeholders. Participatory approaches promote engagement and awareness to develop sustainable and effective management strategies. Aiming to contribute to the preservation and sustainable management of the Nestos Delta coastal lagoons, a Natura 2000 site in Greece, this study explores the application of intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFS) to capture the inherent uncertainty in stakeholder opinions against complex environmental challenges. Through this participatory approach, stakeholder perspectives were assessed and quantified to rank management alternatives. Ecological health and economic values were prioritized, endorsing the adoption of natural and soft interventions; conflicts and a knowledge gap regarding non-provisioning ESs were revealed, highlighting the necessity of inclusive consultation processes. This approach offers the potential to facilitate consensus-building and enhance the legitimacy of coastal lagoon management decisions.

Urbanization and land claim trends for agriculture have led to land use/land cover (LULC) changes, acting as driving forces for several natural environment alterations. The ecosystem services (ES) concept links ecosystem degradation with direct adverse effects on human welfare, emphasizing the importance of balancing human activities and ecosystem health. LULC changes and their impacts on ES are crucial for nature conservation and decision-making. To support sustainable management, a historical (75-year) assessment of Nestos Delta lagoons was conducted, using aerial photos and satellite images, providing valuable insights into the drivers and trends of these changes. Until 1960, water-related Biomes were affected the most, in favor of agricultural (Nestos River incubation) and urban ones, but anthropogenic activities development rate reduced after land reclamation. Since their inclusion in the Natura 2000 network and designation as a National Park, they have been protected from rapid development. Over the past two decades, they have increased the economic value of their cultural ES, while deteriorating regulating and having a minimal impact on provisioning services, resulting in a cumulative loss exceeding USD 30 million during the study period. This study strongly indicates the vital importance of legislative protection and the integration of the ES approach in priority habitat management.