Landscapes for public goods: multifunctional mosaics are fairer by far

IIED Briefing
, 4 pages
PDF (307.55 KB)
17164IIED.pdf
Language:
English
Published: June 2013
Publisher(s):
IIED Briefing Papers
Product code:17164IIED

How do we get the most public goods from forest landscapes when various publics in varying places make conflicting claims? One approach, caricatured as ‘monotypic masses’, says big ‘single use’ corporate blocks are best. But that brings ecological and social challenges (especially displacement) that may eventually undermine economic viability. A better approach is ‘multifunctional mosaics’ of smallholder forest-farm enterprises that offer both local and distant public goods. These can help ensure all publics receive a share of all public goods. The international Forest Connect alliance has shown that smallholders themselves generally favour multi-functional mosaics because these balance long and short term risks and returns. But making such mosaics viable at scale is an economic challenge that requires unprecedented ‘enabling’ investment.

Cite this publication

Macqueen, D. (2013). Landscapes for public goods: multifunctional mosaics are fairer by far. IIED, London.
Available at https://www.iied.org/17164iied