A Multifunctional ‘Scape Approach for Sustainable Management of Intact Ecosystems—A Review of Tropical Peatlands

Abstract

Nature is declining globally at unprecedented rates with adverse consequences for both ecological and human systems. This paper argues that only transformative change—a fundamental, system-wide reorganization—will be sufficient to arrest and reverse this loss and to meet globally agreed development goals, including the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. In search for a credible platform to help facilitate such transformative change, this paper explores the potential of multifunctional ‘scape approaches to improve sustainable management outcomes at scale. Beyond a current international focus on nature restoration, this paper emphasizes the urgency and criticality of confirming approaches for sustainably preserving large ‘intact’ natural areas. Through a semi-systematic review of contemporary academic and gray literature and derivation of a theory of change, the authors consider tropical peatland systems—which can interconnect multiple ecosystem types and be of global biodiversity and carbon sequestration significance—to help derive potentially broader sustainable ecosystem management lessons. Beyond identifying key considerations for implementing multifunctional ‘scape approaches, the paper recommends further work to deepen understanding of the multidimensional ‘value’ of nature; strengthen governance frameworks; empower indigenous peoples and their knowledge sharing and community management; align nature-positive and climate-positive goals; andmobilize commensurate business and financial support.

Wetscapes: Restoring and maintaining peatland landscapes for sustainable futures

“…Landscape-scale peatland restoration, to be successful and adopted widely, should embrace the different—sometimes opposing—societal interests (e.g., nature conservation versus agricultural production) and acknowledge the wide variety of stakeholders. The mitigation of negative environmental impacts requires full rewetting of all drained peatlands (Günther et al 2020 ; Jurasinski et al 2020 ; Convention on Wetlands 2021 ; UNEP 2022 ; Hiller and Fisher 2023 ). This aim is, however, frustrated by the trillions of euros/dollars that have been invested in drainage infrastructure to support agricultural land-use and the concomitant cultivated perception that draining peatlands is good practice.…”

“…The conservation and restoration of core peatland reserves aim to preserve biodiversity and sustain important ecosystem services. Such natural areas are under pressure by adjacent land-use, including drainage, (over)exploitation of resources and atmospheric nitrogen deposition (Lamers et al 2015 ; UNEP 2022 ; Hiller and Fisher 2023 ). Successful peatland conservation and restoration starts by keeping wet areas wet and making formerly drained peatlands wet again (rewetting) (Minayeva et al 2017 ; Renou-Wilson et al 2019 ; Convention on Wetlands 2021 ).…”

An assessment of local community engagement in wildlife conservation: A case study of the Save Valley Conservancy, South Eastern Zimbabwe

“…The transformative conservation approach brings fundamental, broad, durable and positive changes to human relationships with nature (Hiller & Fisher, 2023). This framework underscores the fundamental reorganization required within global conservation initiatives to avert ecological catastrophe.…”

Dreaming of wetscapes: Waking to the realities of restoration

“…But context is everything, and hydrological units fit within broader social-ecological contexts (Clarke and Rieley 2019 ). Figure 2 of Temmink et al ( 2023 ) elucidates a seemingly straightforward decision-tree to help achieve a multifunctional wetscape (Hiller and Fisher 2023 ). However in reality each decision is deeply contested, and this is non-trivial.…”