Journal of Cleaner Production 448 (2024) 141604

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Journal of Cleaner Production

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jclepro

Ecological restoration effectiveness assessment based on social media

analytics: A case study of Yongding River, China
Kun Yu a, Cuncun Duan b, Bin Chen a, *, Dan Song c, d, **, Rui Su a, Xuan Yang a
a
School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
b
College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
c
Beijing Climate Change Management Center, Beijing 100086, China
d
College of Carbon Neutrality Future Technology, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Handling editor: Cecilia Maria Villas Bôas de The ecological restoration of river basin is sensitive to ecosystem service variation. However, previous ecological
Almeida restoration effectiveness assessments often ignore the social perception of ecosystem services. This paper pro­
posed an integrated effectiveness assessment framework for ecological restoration incorporating public satis­
Keywords: faction level. The InVEST model was deployed to compute four key ecosystem services, which are water
Ecological restoration
conservation, water purification, soil retention, and carbon storage, by using both market price and in-lieu cost
Ecosystem services evaluation
methods. Then, public satisfaction as incorporated into cultural services was quantified via social media analytics
Effectiveness assessment
Public satisfaction using the travel cost method. Taking the Yongding River as a case, we analyzed its pre- and post-ecological
restoration performance during 2015–2021 using the proposed framework. The results showed that the
ecosystem service value surged by $2664.19 million, resulting in an ecosystem service change index (ESCI) of
24.49%. In particular, a 20.27% increase in the public satisfaction level was found. Public satisfaction
contributed 39.25% to the total increase in the ecosystem service value of the Yongding River. Our study may
provide support for ecological restoration strategies concerning both physical and public demand aspects.

1. Introduction implementation, demands a rigorous evaluation of its effectiveness (Lu

et al., 2019). Given the intricate relationship between ecological prog­
Varied natural habitats, encompassing forests, grasslands, and water ress and socio-economic development, the inputs and benefits of
bodies, have been undergoing concomitant levels of decline, driven in ecological restoration may not always be aligned (Lü et al., 2012). There
no small part by innate natural processes and direct or indirect human are a wide variety of methods for assessing ecological effectiveness.
intervention (Yu et al., 2020; UNEP, 2021). The escalating urgency of Quasi-experimental methods (Greenstone and Gayer, 2009) such as
this issue has catalyzed ecological restoration to the forefront as an before-after-control-impact (BACI) designs, emulate experimental con­
indispensable strategy aimed at the regain of these tarnished ecosystems ditions through rigorously designed control experiments to minimize
(Griffith et al., 2013). This restorative measure has elicited considerable confounding influences, aiming to assess the impact of specific in­
international attention and has been enacted across an array of regions terventions and establish causality (Yu and Zhang, 2021).
worldwide (Brancalion et al., 2019; Tessler et al., 2019; Arsénio et al., Frontier-based efficiency assessment techniques, such as data envelop­
2020). China promulgated the “Overall Plan for Major Projects for the ment analysis (DEA) and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) (Ahn et al.,
Protection and Restoration of Nationally Important Ecosystems 2023), construct production possibility frontiers using input and output
(2021–2035)” in 2020 (Fu et al., 2023). This effectively catapulted data to evaluate efficiency by comparing decision-making units to this
ecological restoration to the stature of a significant national mission, boundary, focusing on relative efficiency assessment and the selection of
solidifying its linkage to national ecological safety and social welfare. optimal solutions (Zhang et al., 2022). Ecosystem service valuation
The burgeoning field of ecological restoration, coupled with its swift approaches analyze and quantify the direct and indirect benefits,

* Corresponding author.
** Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: kunkunluck@126.com (K. Yu), ccduan_1@163.com (C. Duan), chenb@bnu.edu.cn (B. Chen), songdan@mail.bnu.edu.cn (D. Song), surui_
cuper@163.com (R. Su), y1286594041@126.com (X. Yang).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.141604
Received 9 November 2023; Received in revised form 17 January 2024; Accepted 29 February 2024
Available online 3 March 2024
0959-6526/© 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
K. Yu et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 448 (2024) 141604

functions, and processes that natural ecosystems provide to human so­ This research is designed to develop an integrated framework for
ciety (Costanza and Liu, 2014), often using monetary units for mea­ assessing the effectiveness of ecological restoration at the urban river
surement. Compared to physical units or indices, monetary units are scale, one that simultaneously captures the physical promotion of
most commonly used and facilitate comparisons, offering relevance and ecosystem services and the improvements in public satisfaction associ­
direct comprehension to the public (Costanza et al., 2014; Chen, 2020). ated with social perception. The novelty of this research lies in its uti­
These ecosystem service valuation approaches emphasize the contribu­ lization of social media analytics to quantify public satisfaction with
tion of ecosystem services to human well-being, including supporting, cultural services, coupled with the integration of social perception to
regulating, provisioning, cultural services, etc. (Turner et al., 2015). measure the intangible value of ecosystem services. This approach
Ecosystem services are the foundation of human livelihood and well- bridges the gap between quantifiable physical and more subjective so­
being (Costanza et al., 1997) and encompass both the natural environ­ cial perceptions of ecosystem services derived from ecological restora­
mental conditions necessary for human survival and the ecological tion, offering insights and guidance for similar ecological restoration
functions that ensure the quality of human life (Daily et al., 2009; Czúcz and management efforts in other regions. Section 2 introduces the
et al., 2018). By linking ecosystems with human well-being, ecosystem methods for assessing ecosystem services from the physical perspective
service evaluations promote a balance between socio-economic devel­ and incorporating public satisfaction from the social perception
opment and ecological conservation, providing robust support for perspective. In section 3, changes in ecosystem services and the effec­
policy-making (Zhu et al., 2021; Zhai et al., 2022). These evaluations are tiveness of ecological restoration in the Yongding River are presented. In
often prioritized in the development of ecological restoration strategies section 4, we discuss the performance of ecological restoration measures
(Ng et al., 2013). Therefore, this study measures the effectiveness of in relation to the intended objectives. Finally, in section 5, we summa­
ecological restoration by evaluating changes in ecosystem services. rize the role of social perception in ecological restoration.
Methods such as remote sensing and ecological modeling, employing
satellite imagery (del Río-Mena et al., 2020) and tools such as the In­ 2. Materials and methods
tegrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model
(Li et al., 2023), have been used to assess the impacts of restoration 2.1. Study area
interventions on ecosystem services. However, current assessments
mainly focus on the physical dimensions of services such as vegetation The Yongding River, the largest tributary of the Hai River as one of
and soil conservation (Cao et al., 2016; Xiao et al., 2017), and do not the seven major water systems in China, is also the most important water
adequately consider the intangible benefits of ecosystem services, such supply system in Beijing. The river holds significant ecological impor­
as spiritual enrichment, cultural identity, and recreational experiences, tance and is steeped in historical and cultural heritage. It serves as a vital
which are essential to social well-being, ignoring the integration of the water conservation area, ecological barrier, and green corridor for the
social perception of ecosystem services (Alba-Patiño et al., 2021). Spe­ Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia regions, while also
cifically, it is not clear how the non-material benefits derived by humans being a popular destination for tourism, recreation, and cultural
from nature such as cultural services are directly improved through the enrichment. However, rapid urbanization has led to serious water
implementation of ecological restoration. interception and ecosystem degradation. In response, the Comprehen­
On the other hand, as the largest beneficiaries of ecosystem services sive Management and Ecological Restoration Master Plan for the
and direct victims of ecosystem degradation, public perceptions of Yongding River was launched in 2016, aiming to restore the river’s
ecosystem services can reflect both non-material benefits and potential ecosystem within 5–10 years and to establish a green ecological corridor
risks from the ecosystem, which can help researchers and decision- by the year 2020. The specific governance measures and objectives for
makers understand and regulate the complex relationship between the different aspects are shown in Table 1. This initiative represents the
humans and the environment. For this reason, public satisfaction is a first cross-provincial systematic management case in northern China and
critical benchmark in measuring the performance of policies and pro­ marks a significant ecological breakthrough in the coordinated devel­
grams (Sun et al., 2015). In recent years, scholars have made some ef­ opment of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, serving as a leading
forts to explore public satisfaction. Ochoo et al. (2017) conducted
telephone interviews with households to determine the public’s satis­ Table 1
faction with drinking water quality. Zhang et al. (2021) investigated the Ecological restoration measures and objectives of the Yongding River.
satisfaction of farmers in mining areas with ecological restoration per­
Aspects Specific measures Objectives in 2020
formance through questionnaires. However, considering the long-term
nature of and dynamic concerns associated with ecological restora­ Water conservation and Adjustment of agricultural Basic guarantee of
ecological water water-saving cropping ecological water
tion, conventional tools such as questionnaires and interview surveys
allocation structures; Ecological water
struggle to capture the public’s most timely perception of ecological allocation; Recycled water
restoration and fail to encompass the views of the entire populace utilization; Groundwater
(Zhang et al., 2021). hydraulic extraction
With the widespread use of social networking sites, new opportu­ Comprehensive river Management of flood control Initial governance of
remediation and weaknesses; Ecological weaknesses
nities are opening up for researchers to understand the public satisfac­ restoration restoration of river channels;
tion and quantify the benefits of non-materials (Ilieva and McPhearson, Construction of river
2018). Methods such as text analysis combined with convolutional protection forests;
neural networks (CNNs) and sentiment analysis combined with the Construction of river wetland
parks
natural language process (NLP) provide assistance in transforming on­
Ecological construction Construction of water- Effective
line posts into assessments of how to publicize and perceive shedding forests; Improvement improvement of
non-material benefits (Kong et al., 2022). Hamstead et al. (2018) used of forest quality; Construction ecological function
crowdsourced data from Twitter and Flicker to determine visit prefer­ of nature reserves;
ences for NYC parks. Guerrero et al. (2016) researched Copenhagen Construction of forest parks
Governance and Treatment of urban Significant
residents’ perceptions of urban green spaces through Instagram data. protection of the wastewater; Construction of improvement in the
Cao et al. (2022) quantified cultural services in coastal ecosystems by water environment clean sub-watersheds; water environment
analyzing text posts on social media. However, the application of social Consolidation of outfalls into
perception, especially social media analytics (SMA) has remained rela­ rivers; Protection of water
sources
tively exploratory in assessing the effectiveness of ecological restoration.

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K. Yu et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 448 (2024) 141604

example for regional ecological improvement. other ecosystem services such as provisioning and regulating services,
The study area spans the Beijing section of the Yongding River basin, the public perceives and appreciates cultural services more explicitly
covering eight administrative districts: Yanqing, Changping, Mentou­ (Chen et al., 2019), providing an effective reflection of the interactions
gou, Haidian, Shijingshan, Fengtai, Fangshan, and Daxing, with a total between humans and ecosystems (De Vreese et al., 2019). Moreover,
length of approximately 170 km (see Fig. 1). The basin’s topography cultural services possess uniqueness, as the degradation of intangible
descends from the northwest’s low-lying mountains and river terraces to services cannot be replaced (Cheng et al., 2019).
the expansive plains in the southeast. This region exhibits distinctive
characteristics. First, the pivotal measures of comprehensive river 2.2.1. Water conservation (WC)
management and restoration projects are concentrated in the Beijing The annual water conservation was quantified by the Annual Water
section. Second, the high population density across Beijing’s districts Yield module of InVEST 3.11 software, which is based on the principle of
fosters intense natural and social interactions, with diverse ecosystem water balance (Sharp et al., 2018). The market value method was sub­
services significantly impacting human well-being, which facilitates the sequently used to evaluate water conservation (Wang et al., 2021), and
observation and measurement of social perception. Additionally, Beijing the detailed process can be found in the supplementary material. The
has prioritized the comprehensive management and ecological restora­ formula is as follows:
tion of the Yongding River as one of the top projects for water ecological
Vw = Qw × Pw (1)
environment construction. This project represents a typical governance
and ecological restoration strategy for the Yongding River and serves as where Vw is the value of annual water conservation ($/a); Qw is the
an exemplary case study in the broader context of river management and annual water conservation (m3/a); and Pw is the average price of water
rehabilitation, which also could offer a blueprint for governance stra­ for residential use.
tegies applicable to similar regions seeking to enhance their ecosystems.
2.2.2. Water purification (WP)
2.2. Quantification of ecosystem services The Nutrient Delivery Ratio module of InVEST 3.11 software was
used to assess the water purification capacity of different land use types
Based on the United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment for total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in runoff (Sharp et al.,
(Reid, 2005; Wang et al., 2021) and the objectives of ecological resto­ 2018). This module is an average annual model constructed using a
ration in the Yongding River Watershed (Zhai et al., 2022), five types of simplified mass balance approach that does not address the details of
ecosystem services, namely, water conservation (WC), water purifica­ nutrient cycling. Then the value of water purification was calculated
tion (WP), soil retention (SR), carbon storage (CS), and cultural services using the in-lieu cost method, which was measured using the cost of
(CUS) were selected. Among them, cultural services were used to removing TN and TP by industry (Li et al., 2022). The costs of treatment
represent the non-material benefits that humans derive from ecosystems for TN were 527.58 $/t and 509.34 $/t in 2015 and 2021, respectively,
through tourism, recreation and aesthetic experiences. Compared to

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of the study area.

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K. Yu et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 448 (2024) 141604

and the treatment costs for TP were 10,552.31$/t and 10,187.40 $/t in Step 3: We preprocessed and cleaned the data. In this phase, we
2015 and 2021, respectively; these values are obtained from the statis­ ensured the authenticity of the data by removing posts from Sina
tical results of the treatment costs of wastewater treatment plants in Weibo users who had not undergone real-name authentication. To
China (Gao et al., 2019). The formula is as follows: minimize data collection bias, posts forwarded with comments and
the first post uploaded by the same user within a single day both
Vp = ΔQN × αN + ΔQp × αP (2)
were retained. Additionally, posts containing irrelevant information,
such as web links and advertisements, were filtered out through
where Vp is the value of annual water purification ($/a); ΔQN and ΔQp
manual review.
are the annual total nitrogen and total phosphorus content of the puri­
Step 4: We performed sentiment analysis, which employed a
fied (t/a), respectively; and αN and αP are the total nitrogen and total
dictionary-based methodology. Initially, the open-source Chinese
phosphorus purification costs, respectively.
text segmentation tool Jieba (https://pypi.org/project/jieba/),
implemented in Python, was utilized to divide a body of text into
2.2.3. Soil retention (SR)
smaller units for rapid parsing of voluminous text data, a process
The annual soil retention was quantified based on the Sediment
known as tokenization. We established a custom segmentation dic­
Delivery Ratio module of InVEST 3.11 software, which considers the
tionary and a stop word list within Jieba to enhance accuracy.
ability of different land use types to intercept upstream sediment derived
Subsequently, the third-party Python library SnowNLP was
from an improved U.S. generalized soil loss equation (Sharp et al.,
employed to conduct sentiment analysis on the parsed text data
2018). The annual soil retention value, which consists of the soil
(https://github.com/isnowfy/snownlp). We trained the SnowNLP
retention value and the fertilizer retention value, was subsequently
model using a custom sentiment dictionary, replacing the original
calculated using the alternative cost method and the shadow price
SnowNLP dictionary. This custom dictionary was constructed based
approach (Wang et al., 2021). The formula is as follows:
on the Junzhong Li Chinese Sentiment Dictionary, the NTUSD
Qs Simplified Chinese Sentiment Dictionary and the CNKI Emotion
Vs = × Po × 24% + Qs × r × P1 (3)
ρ Dictionary (Yan et al., 2022). Utilizing the trained model, we ob­
tained a sentiment score ranging from 0 to 1 for each post on Weibo.
where VS is the annual soil retention value ($/a); Qs is the annual soil The post scoring above 0.6 was classified as positive, the post scoring
retention (t/a); ρ is the soil bulk density (1.35 g/cm3); Po is the cost of less than 0.4 was classified as negative, and the post with the senti­
excavating a unit of earth, which was acquired from the Water ment score ranging from 0.4 to 0.6 was classified as neutral (Liu
Conservancy Construction Project Budget Quotas of the Ministry of et al., 2023).
Water Resources of the People’s Republic of China; and r is the content
of soil organic matter (0.94%). P1 is the price of organic matter ($/t), Considering the different heat and spread of each post, we assigned a
which was obtained from the typical profile surveys of the second Na­ weighted coefficient to each post based on the micro-blog communica­
tional Soil Census in China. tion index (BCI) established by the Qingbo Public Opinion (http
://yuqing.gsdata.cn), which integrates the activity of the poster and
2.2.4. Carbon storage (CS) the spread of the post (Chen et al., 2021; Li and Chen, 2022). Public
The annual carbon storage was estimated by the Carbon Storage and satisfaction is the weighted percentage of positive posts. Finally,
Sequestration module of InVEST 3.11 software, which includes four WordCloud analysis was applied to calculate the frequency of words
basic carbon pools: aboveground, belowground, soil organic matter, and associated with each sentiment category, facilitating public opinion
dead organic matter (Clerici et al., 2019). The value of annual carbon analysis. The formulas for calculating the weighted coefficient are as
storage was subsequently calculated via the market price method (Wang follows:
et al., 2021). The formula is as follows:
BCI = (20% × W1 + 80% × W2 ) × 160 (5)
44
Vc = Q c × × Pc (4)
12 W1 = In(X1 + 1) (6)
where Vc is the value of carbon storage ($/a); Qc is the annual carbon W2 = 40% × In(X2 + 1) + 40% × In(X3 + 1) + 20% × In(X4 + 1) (7)
storage (t/a); and Pc is the average transaction price on the Beijing
Carbon Emissions Trading Platform. where BCI is the micro-blog communication index, which is the weight
coefficient of each post; W1 is the poster activity; W2 is the spread of the
2.2.5. Cultural services (CUS) post; X1 is the number of relevant posts published by the poster; X2 is the
In this study, we adopted social media analytics (SMA) to gain in­ number of shares of the post; X3 is the number of comments of the post;
sights into the public perception of cultural services provided by the and X4 is the number of likes of the post. By assigning a higher weight to
Yongding River (Beijing section) in 2015 and 2021, aiming to determine shares and comments (40% each), we emphasize the role of active user
public satisfaction with cultural services. The data were sourced from engagement in spreading information, as these actions typically require
Sina Weibo, China’s largest social media platform. The basic steps of the greater user involvement and indicate a higher level of interest in the
SMA procedure are as follows (Liu et al., 2023). content. Likes, while still indicative of positive reception, are given a
lower weight (20%) as they generally represent a more passive form of
Step 1: We defined the SMA goal, which, in this case, pertained to engagement than shares and comments (Zhao et al., 2022).
gauging public perceptions of cultural services provided by the A higher level of public satisfaction with cultural services indicates
Yongding River (Beijing section) in 2015 and 2021. greater public enjoyment of ecosystem services and greater willingness
Step 2: We selected and tracked the data by using a Python-based to visit the Yongding River (La Notte et al., 2015). Consequently, we
focused crawler (Gupta and Anand, 2015). After simulating the quantified the value of cultural services by incorporating public satis­
Sina Weibo web page login in the code, we entered the keyword faction into the travel cost method. The travel cost method is an envi­
“Beijing Yongding River” under a specified time range to secure data, ronmental economics approach for assessing the non-market value of
encompassing user information, textual content, and heat data natural resources, where the travel expenses borne by visitors to a site
(number of likes, retweets, and comments). The crawled data were are indicative of the value of cultural services offered by that location
subsequently stored. (Czajkowski et al., 2019). For the Yongding River, the per capita tourism

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K. Yu et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 448 (2024) 141604

cost was derived by adjusting the average tourism expenditure in Beijing Conversely, if the ESCI is less than zero, this signifies a loss in ecosystem
based on the river basin’s proportional area within the city. The number service value, implying that ecological restoration has been ineffective.
of tourist visits to the Yongding River was calculated by multiplying the The magnitude of the ESCI’s absolute value corresponds to the degree of
total number of tourist visits in Beijing by the willingness to pay for impact, with larger values denoting more substantial effects.
tourism at the Yongding River. Here, Beijing’s average tourism expen­
diture multiplied by the total number of tourist visits represents the 2.4. Data source
city’s tourism revenue. Consequently, the cultural service value of the
Yongding River watershed could be estimated by multiplying Beijing’s The data sources are listed in Table 2. To compare the changes before
tourism revenue by the willingness to pay for visits and the area ratio. and after ecological restoration to measure the effectiveness of the
The main formula can be expressed as follows: restoration, two study years were selected, i.e., 2015 before and 2021
Ay Ay after ecological restoration. All the data were spatially mapped at a
Vt = C y × Py = C b × × Pb × W = T × W × (8) resolution of 30 m.
Ab Ab

where Vt is the value of cultural services of the Yongding River (Beijing 3. Results
section) ($/a); Cy is the average tourism expenditures in the Yongding
River ($/person); Py is the number of tourist visits to the Yongding River; 3.1. Changes in the spatio-temporal distribution of WC, WP, SR, and CS
Cb is the average tourism expenditures in Beijing ($/person); Ay and Ab
are the areas of the Yongding River watershed and Beijing, respectively After restoration, several key indicators underscored improvements
(km2); Pb is the number of tourist visits to Beijing; W is the willingness of in the water conservation of the Yongding River in Beijing. The pro­
people to pay for tourism at the Yongding River; and T is the annual portion of water body area increased from 0.05% to 0.07%. The average
domestic tourism revenue in Beijing ($/a). water yield substantially increased from 146.74 mm to 187.41 mm, for a
On the one hand, public willingness to pay for tourism is influenced growth rate of 27.72%. Additionally, the peak recorded value also
by economic conditions (Mitrică et al., 2014; Cetin et al., 2021). At surged from 344.48 mm to 502.68 mm and the total annual water
lower economic levels, people may find it challenging to enjoy cultural conservation augmented from 5.62 × 108 m3 to 7.17 × 108 m3.
services. However, once economic development reaches a stage where Geographically, water conservation exhibited a pattern of being low in
basic needs are met, the demand and appreciation for cultural services the north and high in the south, with noticeably high values distributed
can surge. Therefore, a simplified Pearl growth curve model, combined in the southern plains. This could be attributed to the higher annual
with the Engel coefficient representing the level of economic and social precipitation and lower potential evapotranspiration within this area. In
development, was utilized to characterize the impact of economic con­ contrast, the northern region, characterized by lower annual precipita­
ditions on the willingness to pay for tourism (Sun et al., 2023). The tion and greater potential for evapotranspiration, exhibited weaker
public’s willingness to pay is also affected by their satisfaction level water conservation. Notably, land-use types in the northern plains,
(Chen et al., 2004; Ming et al., 2022), and greater satisfaction is corre­ predominantly cropland and construction land due to high human ac­
lated with a larger desire to visit the Yongding River. Public satisfaction tivity, further compromised the water-holding capacity. Nonetheless,
and economic conditions are two independent factors that influence the the growth rate of total annual water conservation was 28.30%, as
willingness to pay for tourism (Van Minh et al., 2013; Fang et al., 2021; 44.91% of the total study area experienced increased water conserva­
Alharbi, 2022), which are assumed to have the same weight regarding tion, notably within the “five lakes and one line” region where ecolog­
their equal contribution. The formula is as follows: ical restoration was implemented (see Fig. 2).
In 2015 and 2021, the total nitrogen (TN) outputs were 893.93 t and
1 1 1
W= [ ( )] × + S × 924.25 t, respectively, reflecting a growth rate of 3.39%. Concurrently,
1 2 2 (9)
1 + exp − − 3 the total phosphorus (TP) output increased from 130.43 t in 2015 to
En

where En is Engel’s coefficient and S is the public satisfaction level (%). Table 2
Sources of research data.
Data Year Data descriptions Sources
2.3. Quantification of ecological restoration effectiveness Land use 2015, Land use types Geographical
2021 Information
The valuation of the five service categories was adjusted for inflation Monitoring Cloud
and aggregated to yield the ecosystem service value (ESV) (Sun et al., Platform (http://www.
dsac.cn/)
2023). Inflation rates for 2015 and 2021 were computed using the
Topography 2015, Digital elevation model Geospatial Data Cloud
variable GDP over the constant GDP from the Beijing Statistical Year­ data 2021 (https://www.gscloud.
book, yielding an inflation rate of 101.44% in 2015 and a 2021 inflation cn/)
rate of 100.98%. The adjusted ESV for 2015 and 2021 was calculated by Meteorological 2015, Annual average National Earth System
dividing the calculated value of ecosystem services by the rate of data 2021 precipitation, Science Data Center
evapotranspiration and (http://www.geodata.
inflation for the corresponding year. temperature cn/)
In this paper, the effectiveness of ecological restoration in the Soil data 2015, Root restricting layer Tibetan Plateau Data
Yongding River (Beijing section) was reflected by the ecosystem service 2021 depth, plant available Center (https://data.tp
change index (ESCI). The relevant formulas are as follows: water content and soil dc.ac.cn/)
erodibility
ESV = Vw + Vp + Vs + Vc + Vt (10) River vector 2015, Tertiary river and Resources and
data 2021 watershed Environmental Science
( )/ and Data Center,
ESCI = ESVs − ESVf ESVf (11)
Chinese Academy of
Sciences (https://www.
where ESVs and ESVf are the adjusted ecosystem service values in 2021 resdc.cn/)
and 2015, respectively. Socio economic 2015, Water price, Engel’s Beijing Statistical
An ESCI greater than zero indicates an increase in ecosystem service data 2021 coefficient and the annual Yearbook (https://nj.
tourism income of Beijing tjj.beijing.gov.cn/)
value, suggesting that ecological restoration efforts have been effective.

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K. Yu et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 448 (2024) 141604

Fig. 2. Spatio-temporal distributions and variations of water conservation.

134.83 t in 2021, indicating a growth rate of 3.37%. Both TN and TP northern highlands. These zones, marked by lower annual precipitation,
exhibited similar spatial distribution patterns, with high output values were largely composed of forests with high vegetation cover, facilitating
predominantly occurring in the northern and southern plains. These significant pollutant retention. From 2015 to 2021, 38.91% and 27.53%
areas were characterized by cropland and construction land, with of the study area regions demonstrated increases in TN and TP outputs,
cropland acting as the principal source of pollutants. Practices such as respectively. Of these regions, most of the TN and TP outputs were
pesticide and fertilizer application, as well as irrigation and drainage, predominantly located in the southern region, where the main water
elevated the emissions of TN and TP. Moreover, areas with high annual bodies, Xiaoyue Lake, Daning Reservoir and Yongding River trunk canal,
precipitation but low vegetation cover also contributed to high pollutant play a role in flood control, water resource regulation and tourism. The
output due to limited pollutant retention. In contrast, low values of pollutant content in the southern plains was strongly affected by human
pollutant output were mainly observed in the central region and activities, notably, from areas such as the Daxing Jiugong community

Fig. 3. Spatio-temporal distributions and variations of water purification.

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K. Yu et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 448 (2024) 141604

and the Fengtai Fangzhuang community, which house tens of thousands Yongding River. In 2015, the weighted percentage of positive posts was
of residents; additionally, from the Daxing Airport and the Daxing Dis­ 52.11%, while negative and neutral posts accounted for 38.41% and
trict Human Resources Service Industrial Park, which require more 9.48%, respectively, which indicated that the public satisfaction with
attention to the noteworthy elevation of pollutant output (see Fig. 3). cultural services in 2015 was 52.11%. To visually represent each
Following the implementation of ecological restoration, there was a sentiment category, a WordCloud analysis was executed, with compel­
significant surge in soil conservation. The total amount increased dras­ ling results illustrated in Fig. 6. Posts radiating positivity predominantly
tically from 2.61 × 108 t to 4.38 × 108 t, reflecting a growth rate of revolved around keywords such as ‘wetlands’, ‘park’, ‘travel’, and ‘ac­
67.82%, while the average value increased from 701.11 t/ha to 1172.68 tivity’. These terms reflected the public’s appreciation of the river as a
t/ha. The spatial distribution showed distinct profiling of soil conser­ recreational asset, highlighting its role in providing leisure and tourism
vation, with high values primarily concentrated in the mountainous opportunities. Conversely, negative undertones were often intertwined
regions of the Mentougou and Changping districts, located centrally, with terms such as ‘decline’, ‘dry’, and ‘water-scarce’. These keywords
and in the Yanqing district in the north. These landscapes, predomi­ underscored the growing concerns among the public. While many
nantly characterized by forested land and grasslands, host high vege­ celebrated the rich recreational opportunities the Yongding River
tation cover conducive to soil retention. Conversely, lower values were offered, a significant portion of the community remained acutely aware
observed in the northern and southern plains where the terrain was of the challenges it faced. The most pressing of these challenges included
primarily flat. The land use in these regions was mainly agricultural, periodic drying spells and the associated degradation of its fragile
with low vegetation cover and construction land. The significant ecosystem.
disturbance caused by human activities, coupled with the inherent soil Moving to 2021, a discernible shift in public perception was
texture, compromised the soil conservation functionality in these areas. observed: the weighted percentage of positive posts leapt to 72.38%, the
After restoration, 73.79% of the total study area experienced an increase weighted percentage of neutral posts accounted for 9.40%, and the
in soil retention, with a more extensive increase occurring in high-value weighted percentage of negative posts decreased to 18.22%, which
regions than in low-value regions (see Fig. 4). showed that the public satisfaction level with cultural services rose to
In terms of carbon storage, there was a significant increase from 4.25 72.38% in 2021. As illustrated in Fig. 7, positive posts often appeared
× 107 t in 2015 to 8.67 × 107 t in 2021, a growth rate of 104%. The with keywords such as ‘wetlands’, ‘river’, ‘culture’, and ‘scenery’, which
spatial distribution characteristics mirrored those of soil retention, with underscored a heightened public appreciation for the natural aesthetic
high values occurring in the central region and the mountains in the allure and unique cultural offerings, including the distinctive hydraulic
north and low values occurring in the plains in the north and south. This heritage and varied folk art traditions in the Yongding River. Despite the
was attributable to the high carbon storage capacity of areas with larger overall positive trend, an undercurrent of negative sentiment persisted,
vegetated areas. Spatiotemporal variations in carbon storage increased shifting focus from previous concerns about the river drying spelt to
throughout most of the region from 2015 to 2021, especially in the low- emergent issues such as waterlogging, flooding, and a proposed waste
value areas located in the plains in the north and south (see Fig. 5). incinerator plant in the Fengtai District. These concerns indicated that
the public was increasingly engaged with environmental management
decisions and their implications.
3.2. Changes in public satisfaction level with cultural services From 2015 to 2021, public satisfaction with cultural services surged
by 20.27%. This marked increase in public satisfaction before and after
From January to December 2015, a total of 115 posts related to the the restoration underscored an evolving public relationship with the
Beijing Yongding River were uploaded to Weibo. Following a rigorous Yongding River—a gradual transition from a primarily negative view
screening process to eliminate duplicates and extraneous data, a refined rooted in perceived ecological degradation to a more positive perception
set of 104 posts was considered for in-depth analysis. By 2021, the rooted in appreciation for the river’s unique offerings and potential for
number of posts related to the Yongding River on Weibo had surged to recreational, cultural, and historic engagements. In addition, new
1,993, with 1325 being deemed relevant. This pronounced surge in posts challenges were identified, e.g., flooding risk and public participation in
focused on the Yongding River shined a spotlight on the escalating decision-making, which urged more nuanced and future-oriented man­
public engagement and burgeoning interest in the river’s ecological and agement strategies for the region.
social significance.
In our study, we conducted a sentiment analysis of the posts to
ascertain the social perception of cultural services provided by the

Fig. 4. Spatio-temporal distributions and variations of soil retention.

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K. Yu et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 448 (2024) 141604

Fig. 5. Spatio-temporal distributions and variations of carbon storage.

Fig. 6. Sentiment distribution and top words of Weibo posts in 2015.

3.3. Ecological restoration effectiveness service value, at 50.09%. With socio-economic advancements and the
successful implementation of ecological restoration, public satisfaction
Turning to the ecosystem service value of the Yongding River (Bei­ with the Yongding River has increased. This was reflected in the value of
jing section), the 2015 and 2021 values were $10,877.75 million and cultural services, which rose from $8673.16 million pre-restoration to
$13,541.94 million, respectively. Cultural services dominated the $9718.92 million post-restoration, marking 12.06% growth. The
ecosystem service value, followed by carbon storage, water conserva­ improvement in public satisfaction contributed to 39.25% of the growth
tion, soil retention, and water purification. The ecosystem service value in ecosystem service value (see Fig. 8).
increased by $2664.19 million, resulting in an ecosystem service change In summary, the ecological restoration performance is satisfactory,
index (ESCI) of 24.49%. both in terms of physical aspects including water, soil and carbon issues,
In detail, the water conservation value experienced a 23.87% surge, and in terms of public demand, with varying degrees of improvement.
from $622.29 million to $770.80 million. With the most modest growth,
water purification increased from $1.82 million to $1.83 million, cor­ 4. Discussion
responding to 0.55% growth. The soil retention value increased by
62.31%, from $217.15 million to $352.45 million. Carbon storage in the In the period 2015–2021, restoration measures focused on water
Yongding River experienced the most pronounced growth, skyrocketing conservation and ecological water allocation primarily employed stra­
from $1363.33 million to $2697.94 million, for a growth rate of 97.89%, tegies such as ecological water supplementation, recycled water usage,
which was also the largest contributor to the increase in ecosystem optimized water allocation, and hydraulic groundwater exploitation.

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K. Yu et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 448 (2024) 141604

Fig. 7. Sentiment distribution and top words of Weibo posts in 2021.

projects, thus promoting active participation and promotion of ecolog­

ical restoration as well as long-term protection of ecosystems (Mey­
froidt, 2013; Dorning et al., 2017). Moreover, cultural services forge
connections between people and nature, enhancing spiritual fulfillment
and overall well-being, which are essential to human welfare (Sandifer
et al., 2015). Overemphasizing more tangible economic and ecological
goals in restoration projects may inadvertently sideline cultural services,
leading to a disconnect between public perception and specific ecolog­
ical objectives, potentially hindering project success and reducing
human welfare (Cheung and Hui, 2018; Bieling et al., 2020).
In recent years, cultural services have gained increasing attention
regarding stable ecosystems. However, the impact of cultural services in
the context of multifaceted and intensive restoration projects remains
unclear (Liu et al., 2016). Additionally, due to the subjective and
intangible nature of social perception, quantifying cultural services
presents a complex interdisciplinary issue (Liu et al., 2016). Incorpo­
rating cultural services into the ecological restoration research frame­
work continues to be a challenge (Tan et al., 2021). Therefore, it is
imperative to delve deeper into the impact of ecological restoration on
cultural services to aid managers in understanding and balancing the
relationships among various services, thereby optimizing restoration
Fig. 8. Ecosystem service value of 2015 and 2021 in the Yongding River.
strategies and outcomes (Schultz et al., 2022).
Our study incorporated the social perception of ecosystem services
The observed increase in water conservation, coupled with a decrease in through social media analysis, and as the results of this study demon­
public negativity toward river desiccation, suggested the efficacy of strated, cultural services play a key role in the ecological restoration
these measures. Indeed, by 2020, the target of safeguarding the process. Newly constructed or renovated spaces, such as Fangshan
ecological water volume in rivers was realized. Significant enhance­ Changyang Riverside Forest Park, Shijingshan Shougang Industrial Site
ments in soil retention and carbon storage further indicated the effec­ Park, and Daxing Yongding River Riverside Rural Forest Park, have
tiveness of initiatives such as the establishment of protection forests, expanded public access to leisure spaces. These areas not only showcase
forest parks, river wetland parks, and ecological river channel vast and accessible natural landscapes for public enjoyment but also
restoration. support outdoor recreational activities such as jogging and bicycling.
These findings are consistent with past assessments of the effec­ The protection and restoration of historical sites, together with the
tiveness of restoration in the Yongding River (Zhai et al., 2022; Chen development of museums and cultural plazas, have sustained and
et al., 2022). However, previous research has focused predominantly on enhanced the folk culture associated with the Yongding River,
the physical dimensions of ecosystem services, such as water resources, strengthening the cultural identity of the public. The Xishan Yongding
environmental quality, and aquatic ecology. Cultural services such as River Cultural Corridor is increasingly recognized as an idyllic retreat
enriching spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, recreation, and for the daily relaxation of Beijing’s residents. Moreover, the ecological
aesthetic experiences are more directly perceived and experienced by restoration of riverside green spaces has improved habitability, fostering
the public compared to physical dimensions of ecosystem services (Ng a river park pattern where humans, water, and green spaces coexist
et al., 2013). When individuals directly witness enhancements in cul­ harmoniously. This enhancement of cultural services through ecological
tural services such as aesthetics and recreation through ecological restoration has enriched the social and environmental landscape,
restoration, their emotional connection to the natural environment and offered educational experiences and aesthetic enjoyment, and fostered a
cultural identity are strengthened (González-Molina et al., 2022). This, deeper connection between the community and its natural
in turn, can reinforce public awareness and support for restoration

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K. Yu et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 448 (2024) 141604

surroundings. control capacity might compromise its water purification capacity.

Despite a small increase in the value of water purification, the output Concomitantly, the creation of recreational and leisure spaces aug­
of pollutants (TN and TP) showed a marginal increase of 3.37%. Past menting cultural services may inadvertently burden the environment.
studies have also mentioned the deterioration of water quality in some Therefore, striking a careful balance is one of the challenges in
sections of the Yongding River (Li et al., 2021; Chen et al., 2022). This improving ecosystem services. By doing so, it will provide a more sus­
phenomenon could be attributed to the expansion of construction land tainable and acceptable path for the future development and conserva­
and cropland driven by urban development and agricultural demands, tion of the Yongding River.
which have led to the displacement of natural cover and an increase in
pollution discharge. This deterioration was particularly marked in the 5. Conclusion
southern plains, which were dominated by residential and construction
land usage and characterized by low water quality and high This study introduced an integrative framework that combines social
ammonia-nitrogen background levels. Similarly, the northern plains, media analytics (SAM) and the InVEST model for the holistic assessment
characterized by vast farmland expanses, faced significant challenges of ecological restoration effectiveness. It was found that the ecosystem
due to the impact on vegetation diversity, adding pressure to water service value surged by $2664.19 million, resulting in an ecosystem
purification endeavors. Notably, the Sanjiadian Reservoir and its service change index (ESCI) of 24.49%, achieving the target set for 2020
southern environs have been engineered with an emphasis on flood both in terms of physical aspects and in terms of public satisfaction.
control. These areas featured mud and stone embankments, scant Specifically, as the water conservation value improved by 23.87%, the
vegetation, and diminishing riverside wetlands and buffer zones. The water purification value increased by 0.55%, the soil retention value
riverbanks, designed as part of river engineering projects, have not been grew by 62.31%, the carbon storage value rose by 97.89%, and the
conducive to sustaining natural habitats for aquatic life. The alteration cultural services value went up by 12.06%. Particularly, the public
of natural water flow by these constructions has also restricted the time satisfaction level climbed by 20.27%, which contributed 39.25% to the
available for microorganisms to break down water pollutants, leading to total increase in the ecosystem service value of the Yongding River.
a decline in water quality. In the Mentougou and Yanqing districts, Moreover, the evaluation of cultural services in this paper was not
prevalent construction in large power plants and barrages resulted in the based on the quantification of indicators (Thiele et al., 2020) but rather
land around the rivers being primarily used for buildings and roads. This on public perception, and social media analytics is more time- and
change, combined with the slower water flow due to the elevated water cost-efficient than traditional methods such as surveys or interviews for
body, stifled pollutant diffusion and weakened the water body’s oxygen understanding public satisfaction (Zapata-Caldas et al., 2022). However,
enrichment and self-purification capacities, which also contributed to there are several limitations that we were unable to address. First, the
the negative public sentiment surrounding the construction of dams and underlying data used by the InVEST model is of different resolutions
other water conservancy facilities in 2015. Furthermore, the develop­ (Table 2), scale differences and resampling methods may cause some
ment of parks attracted numerous tourists and businesses, while service bias in the results (Yang et al., 2023). Second, our study did not conduct
facilities such as restaurants and shopping districts have inadvertently a spatiotemporal distribution analysis of cultural services because the
polluted water bodies. amount uploaded to social media is limited compared to the large vol­
As a result, river environmental conditions have not improved ume of travelers, and we are unable to obtain the precise grid-scale
considerably, placing the water purification capacity at risk and indi­ location from which posts were published due to privacy concerns and
cating only minimal effectiveness in implementing ecologically clean limitations in the geolocation functionality of Sina Weibo (Gosal et al.,
sub-watersheds. Future efforts necessitate continuous control of riverine 2019; Cao et al., 2022). Furthermore, the locations from which posts are
discharge at the source and strengthened urban wastewater treatment published does not always correspond exactly with the actual sites
and ecological purification, particularly in plains with extensive human visited by the public. For instance, users could review the sightseeing at
activity. It is pivotal to closely monitor shifts in water quality and give home or in the workplace after their tourism (Chai-allah et al., 2023).
due importance to weighing ecosystem service functions in the context Descriptions of visiting locations within the text were typically based on
of ecological project implementation. the names of attractions, such as Yongding River Leisure Forest Park or
In addition, an intensified public sentiment against flooding Lotus Lake Wetland Park, and this kind of geographical information
captured in 2021 underscored the inadequacy of the flood control ca­ covering large areas is not as precise as that for other ecosystem services.
pacity of the river section. Due to climate change, the river is experi­ In further research, we plan to collect more detailed information in
encing increased rainfall, resulting in a heightened risk of flooding, conjunction with field surveys to determine the detailed spatial distri­
especially in mountainous areas. Future ecological restoration projects bution of cultural services and provide options to improve the short­
need to elevate flood protection standards for more comprehensive eco- comings of ecological restoration projects.
management. Focusing on weak flood control areas such as the By quantifying the effectiveness of ecological restoration, policy­
Yongding New River, reinforcing embankments in inadequate river makers can refine their strategies to better achieve their intended goals.
sections such as the Xiaoqing River section, and accentuating the This study underscores the pivotal role of public perception in driving
ecological management of the Yongding River trunk canals are pertinent ecological restoration and offers a scientific foundation for devising a
measures. coherent ecosystem compensation mechanism. The innovative approach
Similarly, documented public opposition against the waste inciner­ of merging ecosystem service quantification with social media analytics
ation plant construction indicated a heightened awareness of environ­ (SMA) can also guide ecosystem management endeavors, such as con­
mental changes and a growing concern for individual and social welfare. servation, restoration, and optimal management of forest and wetland
Such sentiments send a strong message that decision-making regarding ecosystems.
ecological restoration must earnestly engage public perspectives,
weaving them into the planning and execution processes. There is also a CRediT authorship contribution statement
strong need for an equilibrated strategy that concurrently contemplates
ecological restoration objectives, tourist visits, and the daily lifestyles of Kun Yu: Investigation, Visualization, Writing – original draft,
local residents. Formal analysis. Cuncun Duan: Investigation, Writing – review &
Unquestionably, ecological restoration is indeed multifaceted and editing. Bin Chen: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Project
requires careful consideration of the ecological environment, public administration, Writing – review & editing. Dan Song: Funding acqui­
needs, and the trade-off between investment costs and potential benefits sition, Project administration, Writing – review & editing. Rui Su: Data
for stakeholders. For instance, river projects that bolster a section’s flood curation, Methodology, Validation. Xuan Yang: Investigation.

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K. Yu et al. Journal of Cleaner Production 448 (2024) 141604

Declaration of competing interest environments. Sci. Total Environ. 651, 2118–2129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
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Cheng, X., Van Damme, S., Li, L., Uyttenhove, P., 2019. Evaluation of cultural ecosystem
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interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence ecoser.2019.100925.
the work reported in this paper. Cheung, L.T.O., Hui, D.L.H., 2018. Influence of residents’ place attachment on heritage
forest conservation awareness in a peri-urban area of Guangzhou, China. Urban For.
Urban Green. 33, 37–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2018.05.004.
Data availability Clerici, N., Cote-Navarro, F., Escobedo, F.J., Rubiano, K., Villegas, J.C., 2019. Spatio-
temporal and cumulative effects of land use-land cover and climate change on two
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The authors do not have permission to share data. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.275.
Costanza, R., D’Arge, R., De Groot, R., Farber, S., Grasso, M., Hannon, B., Limburg, K.,
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