The issue of assessing ecosystem assets is gaining increasing relevance in the context of evolving approaches to natural capital management and the growing role of protected areas in ensuring sustainable regional development. The aim of the study is to provide a theoretical substantiation of approaches to the identification and economic assessment of ecosystem assets of protected areas in the Ukrainian Black Sea region. The methodological framework is based on the concept of natural capital and the international System of Environmental-Economic Accounting for Ecosystems, applying systemic and categorical analysis. The study clarifies the interrelations among natural capital, natural resources, ecosystem assets, and ecosystem services, and substantiates their role in shaping the ecosystem foundation for the region’s innovative development.
Олександра ВОРОБЙОВА (2026) studied this question.