Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) Accounting and Sustainable Management Pathways for Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park, Beijing, China

The Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) represents the total value of goods and services supplied by ecosystems, serving as a key indicator that connects ecological well-being with economic development and supports the achievement of sustainable development goals. This study selected Beijing’s Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park as its research subject, establishing a GEP assessment system for two major services: regulating services and cultural services. By integrating market-based valuation approaches with social media data to support the assessment of cultural services, this study calculated the 2023 GEP of the wetland park. Finally, based on the social media data and the GEP accounting results, value enhancement strategies for Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park were proposed. Key findings include: (1) The total GEP of Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park reached 155.01 million CNY in 2023, with a per-unit-area value of 35.47 million CNY/km2. (2) Among regulating services, climate regulation and water purification were the primary contributors, accounting for 66.10% and 11.76% of the total value, respectively. Cultural service value primarily derived from tourism and health preservation services. (3) Social media analysis showed that visitors valued the park’s natural landscapes while noting service and facility shortcomings, indicating a balanced assessment combining both positive and negative perceptions. (4) Based on GEP assessment and social perception analysis, this study provides pathways for realizing the ecosystem service value of Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park from three aspects. The main contribution of this study lies in developing an integrated framework for GEP accounting and enhancement in national wetland parks, providing a scientific foundation for their sustainable development.