Integrated Landscape Approach: Closing the Gap between Theory and Application

Matthias Bürgi, Panna Ali, Afroza Chowdhury, Andreas Heinimann, Cornelia Hett, Felix Kienast, Manoranjan Kumar Mondal, Bishnu Raj Upreti and Peter H. Verburg
Additional contact information
Matthias Bürgi: Landscape Research Center, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Panna Ali: Bangladesh Rice Research Institute BRRI, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh
Afroza Chowdhury: Bangladesh Rice Research Institute BRRI, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh
Andreas Heinimann: Centre for Development and Environment and Institute of Geography, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Cornelia Hett: Centre for Development and Environment and Institute of Geography, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Felix Kienast: Landscape Research Center, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Manoranjan Kumar Mondal: International Rice Research Institute IRRI, Dhaka 1213, Bangladesh
Bishnu Raj Upreti: Nepal Centre for Contemporary Research NCCR, Kathmandu 977, Nepal
Peter H. Verburg: Landscape Research Center, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 8, 1-13

Abstract: Recently, the integrated landscape approach has gained increasing interest of the scientific community, as well as of organizations active in the field of sustainable development. However, the enthusiastic welcome is challenged by little consensus on theory, terminology and definitions. Moreover, the operationalization of the approach into practice is a major challenge. In this paper, we present a framework to operationalize the integrated landscape approach in practice by putting a long-term collaboration between scientists and various stakeholder at center stage. Based on encompassing understanding of landscape-level processes and interactions, four pillars addressing different steps of a joint-learning circle are described and illustrated with examples. We consider the integrated landscape approach to be a prime way of targeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but novel forms of collaboration between scientists and other stakeholders based on long-term commitments will be needed for operationalization in practice.

Keywords: land change science; joint learning; transdisciplinarity; SDGs; indicators; stakeholder involvement; monitoring; modelling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:8:p:1371-:d:106838

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