Lessons Learned from the National Workshop on Large Landscape Conservation

The Landscapes for People, Food and Nature initiative tends to focus primarily on projects taking place in developing countries, but it is important to remember that creating a healthy and resilient food system requires challenging efforts and innovation in the global North as well. Last week’s National Workshop on Large Landscape Conservation was the perfect place to explore such efforts. The Initiative and partners at Solutions from the Land co-hosted a conference session on Integrating Ecosystem Conservation with Agricultural Production during which practitioners of the landscape approach in the United States shared their experiences with a very eager audience.

Current state of agriculture and the environment

EcoAgriculture Partners’ Seth Shames presented on the current state of integrated landscape initiatives (ILIs) around the world, noting that landscapes must be able to provide more than just food. He shared lessons learned from surveys conducted in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasizing the need for effective communication and knowledge-sharing among practitioners.

Ernie Shea, Project Coordinator at Solutions From the Land, continued by providing key background information about the current and projected state of the environment and agriculture around the world. He noted that the world’s population is expected to reach 9.6 billion by the year 2050, which will inevitably lead to increased pressure on agricultural systems. Experts predict that global food production will need to double by 2050 in order to feed the growing population. The population boom, coupled with climate change forces us to examine the ways in which we manage production of food, feed, fiber and energy. Shea emphasized the need for integrated approaches that take multiple factors and stakeholders into account throughout the management process. Landscapes must be managed in ways that allow for the production of necessary commodities while simultaneously preserving ecosystem functioning – a goal that necessitates the participation of land managers, policy makers and consumers alike and one that is wholeheartedly supported by the LPFN.

Landscapes in the United States, like the one that includes this domestic bison ranch in Wyoming, stand to benefit from integrated landscape approaches. Photo by Faungg on Flickr.

Case studies provided tangible examples

Larry Hicks, Wyoming senate member and rancher and Pat O’Toole from the Family Farm Alliance, presented concrete and firsthand examples of management strategies and outcomes in Wyoming.

Hicks’ presentation was grounded by a quote from Aldo Leopold’s Sand County Almanac: “All ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts. His instincts prompt him to compete for his place in the community, but his ethics prompt him also to cooperate;” a quote that served not only to remind audience members of their school days but also to reinforce the importance of integration. Hicks and O’Toole each cited specific practices, such as the removal of invasive species, erosion control and wetland rehabilitation, as examples of strategies that have worked in their own land. Both speakers, however, focused on human relationships. Hicks noted that people tend to mistrust what they do not understand, resist what is forced upon them and will support what they helped create. Both men stated repeatedly that their projects are successful models as opposed to pilots. They know what works and are beyond the stage of simply testing strategies.

Kate Hackett, Executive Director of Delaware Wild Lands, carried the conversation forward with her experience working in the Great Cypress Swamp in Delaware. Hackett provided a concise overview of the management strategies employed on this land, including the creation of three distinct management types: reserves, natural areas and harvest areas. Once again, she spoke about the need for positive working relationships and trust among all stakeholders. Using these strategies, she and her coworkers have succeeded in creating jobs, maintaining commodity production and rebuilding biodiversity in the Great Cypress Swamp.

Key take-aways

All of the speakers agreed that while relationships built on trust and ambitions of biodiversity preservation can be important foundations for action, landowners respond most quickly and effectively to financial incentives. The discussion of payments for ecosystems services was cut short, but everyone acknowledged the success of incentives for sustainable management practices. Many audience members had questions about this notion and responses ranged from practical to skeptical. Audience participation produced three main take-aways from the afternoon’s presentations:

1. Trust among stakeholders is key
2. Payments for ecosystem services work
3. Policy must be streamlined for effective management

It was refreshing to hear the emphasis on human relationships at a session dedicated to sustainable land management. It’s easy to get swept up by the minutia of particular management strategies and to gloss over the fact that our relationships with each other, on community-level and global scales, are a necessary foundation for any solution. The sentiment of community-building and successful leadership was echoed in the friendly and excited vibe among session participants who lingered to talk to one another and share ideas long after the speakers put away their notes and turned off the projector.

Additional reading

Solutions from the Land: Developing a New Vision for United States Agriculture, Forestry, and Conservation