Cultural ecosystem services and sense of place: post-rehabilitation assessment of Wadi Hanifah’s performance from a socio-cultural lens

Abstract

This paper evaluates the socio-cultural performance of urban ecological rehabilitation through the lens of cultural ecosystem services (CES) and sense of place. Accordingly, it introduces a dynamic, context-sensitive evaluative framework that integrates place image, identity, and attachment as key performance indicators. The framework is applied to the rehabilitation of Wadi Hanifah in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, using a mixed-methods approach that combines document reviews, online surveys, and semi-structured interviews to assess shifts in the Wadi’s meaning and use post-rehabilitation. Findings reveal a transformation in the Wadi’s place image – from associations with degradation and utilitarian function to one centered on recreation and heritage. The results underscore how ecological rehabilitation can foster socio-cultural value and strengthen collective identity. The proposed framework not only supports future evaluations of Wadi Hanifah but also offers a transferable model for assessing similar projects elsewhere, advancing more holistic understandings of the interplay between ecosystems and human experience.