Interdisciplinary insights into navigating the maze of landscape multifunctionality

Abstract

Increasing demands for land to deliver multiple and sometimes conflicting services to people and nature have led to the development of an extensive body of research focussed on multifunctional landscapes. However, this has created both insight and confusion, as authors from a variety of disciplines have independently tackled the question of how to manage the trade‐offs and synergies inherent in landscapes that are required to produce multiple functions and services. We employed an interdisciplinary perspective to formulate some key questions that researchers of multifunctional landscapes can use to identify blind spots. Our process resulted in a question‐based analysis support scheme that supports reflection and recursive thinking about multifunctional landscapes, beginning with objective setting and visions for addressing it, grounded in baseline mapping, then assessing landscape functions and their single and multiple interactions; as well as the analysis of sensitivity to spatial and temporal dimensions. Other key points identified are the need for clarity and examination of unstated assumptions, from aims to definitions; accounting for scale; incorporating stakeholder needs throughout the process and applying suitable methods of measurement and aggregation. The focus on asking guided questions derives from the insight that there is no universal correct approach to multifunctional landscapes; the aim should instead be to find the most appropriate methods for the given circumstances and goals. Policy implications. Tackling current and future socio‐ecological challenges is an interdisciplinary undertaking, necessitating collaborative efforts between research fields that each bring valuable and distinct insights. To effectively combat these challenges, multifunctional landscapes require a clear process and focused objective in their implementation. Multifunctionality should be seen as a means to an end, rather than an end in itself. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.