Urban protected areas are increasingly recognized as essential for human well-being, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience; however, their role in post-industrial cities remains insufficiently understood. To address this gap, we examine Văcărești Nature Park (VNP) (IUCN Category V), a 183-hectare urban wetland in Bucharest, Romania, formed through spontaneous ecological restoration within a post-industrial landscape. Using a mixed-methods approach that integrates ecological assessment, participatory mapping, and public perception analysis, we evaluate the park’s ecosystem services (ES) and social dynamics. Cultural ES—particularly recreation, wildlife observation, and biodiversity appreciation—dominate public valuation, while regulating services such as microclimate regulation are less recognized and provisioning services remain marginal. This pattern highlights the importance of experiential and relational values in shaping how urban nature is perceived and used. Spatial analysis reveals intensive use of biodiverse interior zones and the avoidance of peripheral areas, primarily driven by infrastructure degradation and perceived safety risks. The resulting core–periphery differentiation points to an uneven distribution of ES benefits with direct implications for urban ecosystem governance and social inclusiveness. Overall use is predominantly passive, centered on immersion in natural settings rather than interactive or educational engagement. By demonstrating how participatory surveys combined with spatial mapping can reveal both ES demand and latent governance challenges, this study shows that spontaneously restored urban wetlands can function as high-value, multifunctional assets and provide generally applicable insights for adaptive management in rapidly changing cities.
Bărbulescu et al. (2026) studied this question.