Nature on a Plate: Linking Food and Tourism within the Ecosystem Services Framework

This paper explores the links between local resources (the natural environment) and food on offer; i.e., what parts of nature reach tourist’s plate. It is based a content analysis restaurant menus in Great Masurian Lakes region, which considered to be one main nature-based tourism destinations Poland. The concept Ecosystem Services (ES), closely interlinked with idea sustainable development, employed as it recognizes relationships humans environment. results indicate that representing region’s history almost non-existent. Instead, heritage being reinvented area’s iconic ES, wild food. In this way, supply side ES cascade (ecosystem potential) its demand benefits for tourists costs they pay obtain these benefits) are encompassed plate restaurants. findings also reveal that, many cases, localness “local” an illusion. This, turn, poses important challenge sustainability (and) studied area.