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Dr. James Langston
University of British Columbia

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0 sustainability science
0 Forest landscapes restoration (FLR)
0 Transdisciplinarity
0 landscape governance
0 conservation and development

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conservation and development
landscape governance
sustainability science

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Research article
Published: 06 June 2021 in Landscape Ecology
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In recent years, landscape sustainability, the maintenance and improvement of biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human well-being in landscapes, has become a core objective of conservation initiatives. Yet efforts to promote sustainability often conflict with other landscape objectives. Globally, integrated landscape approaches have emerged as desirable processes for reconciling these conflicts. Integrated landscape approaches seek to foster improvements in landscape-scale governance to meet sustainability objectives. As scientific and political support for these new landscape approaches continues to advance internationally, there is a need to learn from the processes, constraints, and opportunities. We seek to enrich understandings of landscape approaches and their contributions to governance and sustainability through conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem services. Focusing on eight case studies at different stages of development in Indonesia, we explore how practitioners influence landscape sustainability through integrated approaches. We used questionnaires and literature to collect information on objectives, attributes and challenges of landscapes approaches. We find landscape approaches in Indonesia closely reflect guidance principles. Emerging lessons from landscapes include adapting strategies to local priorities for inclusive problem-framing and engaging in nested learning systems. Aligning landscape actions with policy for coherent governance across scales remains a key challenge. Creating and maintaining governance that supports landscape sustainability is a core principle of landscape approaches. Establishing institutional arrangements for landscape sustainability will require working across legislative and political boundaries for coordinated action. We highlight the need to document and measure impact, and the potential for future learning from landscape sustainability science.

ACS Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs; Ramadhani Achdiawan; Ani Adiwinata; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; Agustinus Kastanya; James Douglas Langston; Hari Priyadi; Manuel Ruiz-Pérez; Jeffrey Sayer; Albertus Tjiu. Governing the landscape: potential and challenges of integrated approaches to landscape sustainability in Indonesia. Landscape Ecology 2021, 36, 2409 -2426.

AMA Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs, Ramadhani Achdiawan, Ani Adiwinata, Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono, Agustinus Kastanya, James Douglas Langston, Hari Priyadi, Manuel Ruiz-Pérez, Jeffrey Sayer, Albertus Tjiu. Governing the landscape: potential and challenges of integrated approaches to landscape sustainability in Indonesia. Landscape Ecology. 2021; 36 (8):2409-2426.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs; Ramadhani Achdiawan; Ani Adiwinata; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; Agustinus Kastanya; James Douglas Langston; Hari Priyadi; Manuel Ruiz-Pérez; Jeffrey Sayer; Albertus Tjiu. 2021. "Governing the landscape: potential and challenges of integrated approaches to landscape sustainability in Indonesia." Landscape Ecology 36, no. 8: 2409-2426.

Perspective
Published: 23 March 2021 in Sustainability
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We present a new framework that allows understanding those we deem irrational in the climate debate. Realizing if the issue is one of information, beliefs, values or means opens the door for more constructive dialogue. Decision-makers diverge in their responses to the urgent need for action on climate and biodiversity. Action gaps are fueled by the apparent inability of decision-makers to respond efficiently to the mounting threats described by scientists—and increasingly recognized by society. Surprisingly, with the growing evidence and the accumulation of firsthand experiences of the impacts of environment crises, the gap is not only a problem of conflicting values or beliefs but also a problem of inefficient strategies. Bridging the gap and tackling the growing polarization within society calls for decision-makers to engage with the full complexity of the issues the world is facing. We propose a framework characterizing five archetypes of decision-makers to help us out of the current impasse by better understanding the behavior of others. Dealing with the complexity of environmental threats requires decision-makers to question their understanding of who wins and who loses, and how others make decisions. This requires that decision-makers acknowledge complexity, embrace uncertainty, and avoid falling back on simplistic cognitive models. Understanding the complexity of the issue and how people make decisions is key to having a fighting chance of solving the climate crisis.

ACS Style

Patrick Waeber; Natasha Stoudmann; James Langston; Jaboury Ghazoul; Lucienne Wilmé; Jeffrey Sayer; Carlos Nobre; John Innes; Philip Fernbach; Steven Sloman; Claude Garcia. Choices We Make in Times of Crisis. Sustainability 2021, 13, 3578 .

AMA Style

Patrick Waeber, Natasha Stoudmann, James Langston, Jaboury Ghazoul, Lucienne Wilmé, Jeffrey Sayer, Carlos Nobre, John Innes, Philip Fernbach, Steven Sloman, Claude Garcia. Choices We Make in Times of Crisis. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (6):3578.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Patrick Waeber; Natasha Stoudmann; James Langston; Jaboury Ghazoul; Lucienne Wilmé; Jeffrey Sayer; Carlos Nobre; John Innes; Philip Fernbach; Steven Sloman; Claude Garcia. 2021. "Choices We Make in Times of Crisis." Sustainability 13, no. 6: 3578.

Journal article
Published: 22 September 2020 in Environmental Conservation
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Summary Major advances in biology and ecology have sharpened our understanding of what the goals of biodiversity conservation might be, but less progress has been made on how to achieve conservation in the complex, multi-sectoral world of human affairs. The failure to deliver conservation outcomes is especially severe in the rapidly changing landscapes of tropical low-income countries. We describe five techniques we have used to complement and strengthen long-term attempts to achieve conservation outcomes in the landscapes and seascapes of such regions; these are complex social-ecological systems shaped by interactions between biological, ecological and physical features mediated by the actions of people. Conservation outcomes occur as a result of human decisions and the governance arrangements that guide change. However, much conservation science in these countries is not rooted in a deep understanding of how these social-ecological systems work and what really determines the behaviour of the people whose decisions shape the future of landscapes. We describe five scientific practices that we have found to be effective in building relationships with actors in landscapes and influencing their behaviour in ways that reconcile conservation and development. We have used open-ended inductive enquiry, theories of change, simulation models, network analysis and multi-criteria analysis. These techniques are all widely known and well tested, but seldom figure in externally funded conservation projects. We have used these techniques to complement and strengthen existing interventions of international conservation agencies. These five techniques have proven effective in achieving deeper understanding of context, engagement with all stakeholders, negotiation of shared goals and continuous learning and adaptation.

ACS Style

Chris Margules; Agni K Boedhihartono; James Langston; Rebecca A Riggs; Dwi Amalia Sari; Sahotra Sarkar; Jeffrey A Sayer; Jatna Supriatna; Nurul L Winarni. Transdisciplinary science for improved conservation outcomes. Environmental Conservation 2020, 47, 224 -233.

AMA Style

Chris Margules, Agni K Boedhihartono, James Langston, Rebecca A Riggs, Dwi Amalia Sari, Sahotra Sarkar, Jeffrey A Sayer, Jatna Supriatna, Nurul L Winarni. Transdisciplinary science for improved conservation outcomes. Environmental Conservation. 2020; 47 (4):224-233.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chris Margules; Agni K Boedhihartono; James Langston; Rebecca A Riggs; Dwi Amalia Sari; Sahotra Sarkar; Jeffrey A Sayer; Jatna Supriatna; Nurul L Winarni. 2020. "Transdisciplinary science for improved conservation outcomes." Environmental Conservation 47, no. 4: 224-233.

Original article
Published: 13 August 2020 in Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography
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Seram is Indonesia's 8th largest island. It is central to the historic spice islands, once a hotbed for international trade of profitable tree‐products, primarily clove and nutmeg. Recent increased rates of social and ecological change, including costly conflicts, present Seram with new challenges and opportunities for conservation and development. Using place‐based transdisciplinary research methods, we diagnose the problems emerging in Seram. Engaging with actors across multiple scales and sectors, we explore drivers of change, social‐ecological impacts, and institutional arrangements that might achieve improved inclusive and sustainable development outcomes. Traditional and formal governance arrangements require harmonizing to optimize the benefits and costs from large‐scale investments arriving in Seram. Organizations wishing to achieve positive impact can more strategically engage with the broad range of actors to harmonize divergent visions for the future and confront the reality of incoming investments and infrastructure.

ACS Style

James Douglas Langston; Rebecca Riggs; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; Agustinus Kastanya; Jeffrey Sayer. An island in transition: governing conservation and development in Seram, Indonesia. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

James Douglas Langston, Rebecca Riggs, Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono, Agustinus Kastanya, Jeffrey Sayer. An island in transition: governing conservation and development in Seram, Indonesia. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography. 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

James Douglas Langston; Rebecca Riggs; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; Agustinus Kastanya; Jeffrey Sayer. 2020. "An island in transition: governing conservation and development in Seram, Indonesia." Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 30 June 2020 in Land Use Policy
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Indonesia’s annual area of forest degradation is equal to deforestation. Numerous forest restoration initiatives exist but with varying levels of success. Government control provides a disincentive to restoration initiatives. Partnerships across multiple scales can enhance FLR learning opportunities.

ACS Style

Jeffrey Sayer; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; James Douglas Langston; Chris Margules; Rebecca Anne Riggs; Dwi Amalia Sari. Governance challenges to landscape restoration in Indonesia. Land Use Policy 2020, 104, 104857 .

AMA Style

Jeffrey Sayer, Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono, James Douglas Langston, Chris Margules, Rebecca Anne Riggs, Dwi Amalia Sari. Governance challenges to landscape restoration in Indonesia. Land Use Policy. 2020; 104 ():104857.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jeffrey Sayer; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; James Douglas Langston; Chris Margules; Rebecca Anne Riggs; Dwi Amalia Sari. 2020. "Governance challenges to landscape restoration in Indonesia." Land Use Policy 104, no. : 104857.

Article
Published: 24 April 2020 in Environmental Management
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Tropical forest landscapes are undergoing rapid transition. Rural development aspirations are rising, and land use change is contributing to deforestation, degradation, and biodiversity loss, which threaten the future of tropical forests. Conservation initiatives must deal with complex social, political, and ecological decisions involving trade-offs between the extent of protected areas and quality of conservation. In Cambodia, smallholders and industrial economic land concessions drive deforestation and forest degradation. Rural economic benefits have not kept pace with development aspirations and smallholders are gradually expanding agriculture into protected forests. We examine the drivers and effects of rural forest landscape transitions in Cambodia to identify trade-offs between conservation and development. Using historical trends analysis and information gathered through key informant interviews, we describe how local communities perceive social and ecological changes, and examine the implications of local development aspirations for conservation. We explore three scenarios for the future of conservation in Cambodia, each with different conservation and community development outcomes. We contend that conservation efforts should focus on strengthening governance to meet social and environmental requirements for sustainable forest landscapes. We suggest potential entry points for governance improvements, including working with local decision-makers and fostering collaboration between stakeholders. There is a need for realistic priority setting in contested tropical forest landscapes. Prosperous rural economies are a necessary but not sufficient condition for conservation.

ACS Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs; James Langston; Emilie Beauchamp; Henry Travers; Sereyrotha Ken; Chris Margules. Examining Trajectories of Change for Prosperous Forest Landscapes in Cambodia. Environmental Management 2020, 66, 72 -90.

AMA Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs, James Langston, Emilie Beauchamp, Henry Travers, Sereyrotha Ken, Chris Margules. Examining Trajectories of Change for Prosperous Forest Landscapes in Cambodia. Environmental Management. 2020; 66 (1):72-90.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs; James Langston; Emilie Beauchamp; Henry Travers; Sereyrotha Ken; Chris Margules. 2020. "Examining Trajectories of Change for Prosperous Forest Landscapes in Cambodia." Environmental Management 66, no. 1: 72-90.

Review article
Published: 02 April 2020 in Journal of Forestry Research
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Deforestation and forest degradation are having profound negative impacts on social-ecological systems in the emerging economies across the tropics. Consequently, interest in restoring and rehabilitating degraded forests has been growing. This paper explores current issues related to addressing forest degradation in the Lancang-Mekong Region (LMR) of Southeast Asia through a review of the use of criteria and indicators for forest degradation and rehabilitation. Forest degradation must be understood in the context of its underlying drivers, which are numerous and complex. Understanding these underlying drivers of degradation requires diagnosing the entwined political, social, economic, and environmental systems that affect forests. Landscapes are the relevant scales to diagnose and intervene for improved forests. Interventions to restore or rehabilitate forests should be process-driven, focused on the underlying social, ecological and political processes that degrade landscapes. Interventions should also include negotiation among all actors influencing and competing for natural resource claims in forest landscapes. Criteria and indicators for forest landscape restoration should therefore help to improve the governance of forest landscapes. Criteria and indicators provide measures of the biophysical outcomes of degradation, in addition to processes, but these should be adapted to changing contexts and emerging challenges, and should rectify any pre-existing flawed change-logic. Restoration activities should synthesize, integrate, and build upon the rich history of pre-existing restoration guidelines, but should be adaptable in order to be applied effectively in the contexts of local landscapes. This project is facilitating a dialogue around the use of criteria and indicators to help solve the degradation challenge in the LMR. We will trial the use of the criteria and indicators generated through this research in the LMR to learn what works and what doesn’t. This will provide an opportunity to build consensus around the ways in which restoration investments made by governments, civil society, and the private sector can influence sustainability.

ACS Style

Julia Brewer; James Langston; Kalifi Ferretti-Gallon; John L. Innes; Shuyu Xin; Hongbo Zhai; Guangyu Wang. Alleviating forest degradation in the Lancang-Mekong Region requires closing management—measurement gaps. Journal of Forestry Research 2020, 31, 2033 -2051.

AMA Style

Julia Brewer, James Langston, Kalifi Ferretti-Gallon, John L. Innes, Shuyu Xin, Hongbo Zhai, Guangyu Wang. Alleviating forest degradation in the Lancang-Mekong Region requires closing management—measurement gaps. Journal of Forestry Research. 2020; 31 (6):2033-2051.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Julia Brewer; James Langston; Kalifi Ferretti-Gallon; John L. Innes; Shuyu Xin; Hongbo Zhai; Guangyu Wang. 2020. "Alleviating forest degradation in the Lancang-Mekong Region requires closing management—measurement gaps." Journal of Forestry Research 31, no. 6: 2033-2051.

Research article
Published: 01 January 2020 in Tropical Conservation Science
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Road development in tropical forest landscapes is contentious. Local preferences are often subordinated to global economic and environmental concerns. Opportunities to seek solutions based on local context are rare. We examined local perspectives on road development within Cambodia’s Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary to explore opportunities for optimizing conservation and development outcomes. We conducted household surveys to document the perceived benefits and risks of road development. We found that in the sanctuary, road rehabilitation may accelerate transitions to intensified agriculture and diversified, off-farm incomes. All households prefer good roads and poorer households prioritize road development over other village infrastructure. Households perceive the most prominent benefit of roads to be access to hospital. Local government authorities are responsible for controlling land use and conversion within village boundaries and are therefore highly influential in determining the social and environmental outcomes of roads. Strategies to mitigate environmental risks of roads without constraining development benefits must focus on improving local capacity for decision-making and transparency. Local institutions in tropical forest landscapes must have greater control over development benefits if they are to reinvest assets to achieve conservation success.

ACS Style

Rebecca A. Riggs; James Langston; Jeffrey Sayer; Sean Sloan; William F. Laurance. Learning from Local Perceptions for Strategic Road Development in Cambodia’s Protected Forests. Tropical Conservation Science 2020, 13, 1 .

AMA Style

Rebecca A. Riggs, James Langston, Jeffrey Sayer, Sean Sloan, William F. Laurance. Learning from Local Perceptions for Strategic Road Development in Cambodia’s Protected Forests. Tropical Conservation Science. 2020; 13 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rebecca A. Riggs; James Langston; Jeffrey Sayer; Sean Sloan; William F. Laurance. 2020. "Learning from Local Perceptions for Strategic Road Development in Cambodia’s Protected Forests." Tropical Conservation Science 13, no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2020 in Ecology and Society
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ACS Style

Rebecca A. Riggs; James D. Langston; Sithan Phann. Actor network analysis to leverage improvements in conservation and development outcomes in Cambodia. Ecology and Society 2020, 25, 1 .

AMA Style

Rebecca A. Riggs, James D. Langston, Sithan Phann. Actor network analysis to leverage improvements in conservation and development outcomes in Cambodia. Ecology and Society. 2020; 25 (4):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rebecca A. Riggs; James D. Langston; Sithan Phann. 2020. "Actor network analysis to leverage improvements in conservation and development outcomes in Cambodia." Ecology and Society 25, no. 4: 1.

Book part
Published: 12 December 2019 in Sustainable Development Goals: Their Impacts on Forests and People
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Sustainable Development Goals: Their Impacts on Forests and People - edited by Pia Katila December 2019

ACS Style

Jeffrey Sayer; Douglas Sheil; Glenn Galloway; Rebecca A. Riggs; Gavyn Mewett; Kenneth G. MacDicken; Bas Arts; Agni K. Boedhihartono; James Langston; David P. Edwards; Pia Katila; Carol J. Pierce Colfer; Wil De Jong; Pablo Pacheco; Georg Winkel. SDG 15: Life on Land – The Central Role of Forests in Sustainable Development. Sustainable Development Goals: Their Impacts on Forests and People 2019, 482 -509.

AMA Style

Jeffrey Sayer, Douglas Sheil, Glenn Galloway, Rebecca A. Riggs, Gavyn Mewett, Kenneth G. MacDicken, Bas Arts, Agni K. Boedhihartono, James Langston, David P. Edwards, Pia Katila, Carol J. Pierce Colfer, Wil De Jong, Pablo Pacheco, Georg Winkel. SDG 15: Life on Land – The Central Role of Forests in Sustainable Development. Sustainable Development Goals: Their Impacts on Forests and People. 2019; ():482-509.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jeffrey Sayer; Douglas Sheil; Glenn Galloway; Rebecca A. Riggs; Gavyn Mewett; Kenneth G. MacDicken; Bas Arts; Agni K. Boedhihartono; James Langston; David P. Edwards; Pia Katila; Carol J. Pierce Colfer; Wil De Jong; Pablo Pacheco; Georg Winkel. 2019. "SDG 15: Life on Land – The Central Role of Forests in Sustainable Development." Sustainable Development Goals: Their Impacts on Forests and People , no. : 482-509.

Review article
Published: 19 March 2019 in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change
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There is a global shift of forest management to local levels to better reconcile local livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. We argue that achieving such outcomes will require embedding science in landscape-scale management systems. We show that science can contribute to local learning and adaptation within landscape contexts. Complexity and power relations have hampered scientists' efforts to engage with the people who use and influence the use of resources at landscape scales. Landscape approaches present an opportunity for science to help steer local management to address local contexts. We have conducted research at the interface of policy and management at landscape scales. More effort must go toward transdisciplinary approaches to co-generate knowledge and create “Communities of Commitment” for continual learning and adaptation amongst landscape-scale actors. Embedded science incorporating local knowledge and contexts and engaged in landscape scale development processes is necessary for improving decision and policy-making.

ACS Style

James Douglas Langston; Rebecca Anne Riggs; Agustinus Kastanya; Jeffrey Sayer; Chris Margules; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono. Science Embedded in Local Forest Landscape Management Improves Benefit Flows to Society. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 2019, 2, 1 .

AMA Style

James Douglas Langston, Rebecca Anne Riggs, Agustinus Kastanya, Jeffrey Sayer, Chris Margules, Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono. Science Embedded in Local Forest Landscape Management Improves Benefit Flows to Society. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 2019; 2 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

James Douglas Langston; Rebecca Anne Riggs; Agustinus Kastanya; Jeffrey Sayer; Chris Margules; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono. 2019. "Science Embedded in Local Forest Landscape Management Improves Benefit Flows to Society." Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 2, no. : 1.

Research article
Published: 31 January 2019 in PLOS ONE
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Interpreting discourses among implementers of what is termed a “landscape approach” enables us to learn from their experience to improve conservation and development outcomes. We use Q-methodology to explore the perspectives of a group of experts in the landscape approach, both from academic and implementation fields, on what hinderances are in place to the realisation of achieving sustainable landscape management in Indonesia. The results show that, at a generic level, “corruption” and “lack of transparency and accountability” rank as the greatest constraints on landscape functionality. Biophysical factors, such as topography and climate change, rank as the least constraining factors. When participants considered a landscape with which they were most familiar, the results changed: the rapid change of regulations, limited local human capacity and inaccessible data on economic risks increased, while the inadequacy of democratic institutions, “overlapping laws” and “corruption” decreased. The difference indicates some fine-tuning of generic perceptions to the local context and may also reflect different views on what is achievable for landscape approach practitioners. Overall, approximately 55% of variance is accounted for by five discourse factors for each trial. Four overlapped and two discourses were discrete enough to merit different discourse labels. We labelled the discourses (1) social exclusionists, (2) state view, (3) community view, (4) integrationists, (5) democrats, and (6) neoliberals. Each discourse contains elements actionable at the landscape scale, as well as exogenous issues that originate at national and global scales. Actionable elements that could contribute to improving governance included trust building, clarified resource rights and responsibilities, and inclusive representation in management. The landscape sustainability discourses studied here suggests that landscape approach “learners” must focus on ways to remedy poor governance if they are to achieve sustainability and multi-functionality.

ACS Style

James Douglas Langston; Rowan McIntyre; Keith Falconer; Terry Sunderland; Meine Van Noordwijk; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono. Discourses mapped by Q-method show governance constraints motivate landscape approaches in Indonesia. PLOS ONE 2019, 14, e0211221 .

AMA Style

James Douglas Langston, Rowan McIntyre, Keith Falconer, Terry Sunderland, Meine Van Noordwijk, Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono. Discourses mapped by Q-method show governance constraints motivate landscape approaches in Indonesia. PLOS ONE. 2019; 14 (1):e0211221.

Chicago/Turabian Style

James Douglas Langston; Rowan McIntyre; Keith Falconer; Terry Sunderland; Meine Van Noordwijk; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono. 2019. "Discourses mapped by Q-method show governance constraints motivate landscape approaches in Indonesia." PLOS ONE 14, no. 1: e0211221.

Journal article
Published: 23 August 2018 in Forest Policy and Economics
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Academic inquiry into forest transitions has produced a rich body of literature examining the shift from net deforestation to net reforestation at multiple land use scales. However, researchers, practitioners, and policy analysts question the utility of current forest transition theory. Does it accurately describe and provide insight into strategies to influence patterns of forest change in countries where forest cover continues to decline? Forest transition theory has provided important insights into the ‘necessary but not sufficient’ conditions for countries shifting from net deforestation to net reforestation. To advance forest transition theory, scholars should recognize forests as complex and dynamic social-ecological systems and use analytical methods that accommodate that complexity. Transdisciplinary research that incorporates a broader range of qualitative and quantitative methods and tools is required. We analyzed the historical, social, and political factors influencing forest transition pathways in Cambodia. Cambodia exhibits similar economic pre-conditions to its neighbors, which have passed through a forest transition, yet deforestation rates remain high with no indication of slowing. We found that complex governance arrangements at multiple scales negatively influences Cambodia's forest cover and development trajectory. Attempts to nurture Cambodia's forest transition will require strengthening governance and institutions across all of the natural resource sectors. Further research that incorporates governance into forest transition frameworks is required to improve policy responses for post-transition forest outcomes.

ACS Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs; James Douglas Langston; Jeffrey Sayer. Incorporating governance into forest transition frameworks to understand and influence Cambodia's forest landscapes. Forest Policy and Economics 2018, 96, 19 -27.

AMA Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs, James Douglas Langston, Jeffrey Sayer. Incorporating governance into forest transition frameworks to understand and influence Cambodia's forest landscapes. Forest Policy and Economics. 2018; 96 ():19-27.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs; James Douglas Langston; Jeffrey Sayer. 2018. "Incorporating governance into forest transition frameworks to understand and influence Cambodia's forest landscapes." Forest Policy and Economics 96, no. : 19-27.

Journal article
Published: 01 June 2018 in International Forestry Review
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Numerous inter-governmental conservation initiatives have failed to halt the loss and degradation of forests. This paper explores the role of policy processes in developing and delivering desired future forest outcomes that meet both global environmental goals and the needs of local forest users. There is a clear disconnect between global commitments and local interventions to achieve forest outcomes. There is an incoherence in forest policy development at different spatial scales. Future forest governance needs to recognise the diversity of actors in the policy process and the complexity of local forest contexts. New actors in the policy process will include knowledge brokers and policy entrepreneurs who increasingly shape the policy discourse. There is also a need for policy durability and problem focused policy-learning pathways. Forest and allied sciences continue to be critical for delivering desired forest outcomes, and learning from the diversity of local contexts is critical to creating effective and coherent policies. Spanish Numerosas iniciativas de conservación intergubernamentales han fracasado en detener la pérdida y la degradación de los bosques. Este artículo examina el papel de los procesos políticos en la conceptualización y la consecución de los resultados forestales futuros que se desean y que cumplan tanto los objetivos ambientales globales como las necesidades de los usuarios forestales locales. Existe una clara desconexión entre los compromisos globales y las intervenciones locales para lograr resultados forestales. Existe una incoherencia en el desarrollo de políticas forestales a diferentes escalas espaciales. La futura gobernanza forestal debe reconocer la diversidad de actores en el proceso de políticas y la complejidad de los contextos forestales locales. Los nuevos actores en los procesos políticos incluirán agentes de conocimiento y emprendedores políticos que moldean cada vez más el discurso político. Existe una necesidad de políticas que duren y vías de aprendizaje político centradas en los problemas. Las ciencias forestales y otras afines siguen siendo fundamentales para lograr los resultados forestales deseados y el aprendizaje que resulta de la diversidad de los contextos locales es crucial para crear políticas efectivas y coherentes. French De nombreuses initiatives de conservation inter-gouvernementales ont échoué dans leurs efforts d'interrompre la perte et la dégradation des forêts. Ce papier explore le rôle des processus de politiques dans le développement et la production des résultats forestiers futurs désirés, répondant à la fois aux buts environnementaux globaux et aux besoins des utilisateurs locaux de la forêt. On note un hiatus très net entre les désirs globaux et les interventions locales pour obtenir ces résultats au niveau de la forêt. Le développement de la politique forestière connait une incohérence à plusieurs niveaux spatiaux. La gestion forestière...

ACS Style

G.Q. Bull; A.K. Boedhihartono; G. Bueno; B. Cashore; C. Elliott; J.D. Langston; R.A. Riggs; J. Sayer. Global forest discourses must connect with local forest realities. International Forestry Review 2018, 20, 160 -166.

AMA Style

G.Q. Bull, A.K. Boedhihartono, G. Bueno, B. Cashore, C. Elliott, J.D. Langston, R.A. Riggs, J. Sayer. Global forest discourses must connect with local forest realities. International Forestry Review. 2018; 20 (2):160-166.

Chicago/Turabian Style

G.Q. Bull; A.K. Boedhihartono; G. Bueno; B. Cashore; C. Elliott; J.D. Langston; R.A. Riggs; J. Sayer. 2018. "Global forest discourses must connect with local forest realities." International Forestry Review 20, no. 2: 160-166.

Journal article
Published: 11 January 2018 in Sustainability
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Integrated approaches to natural resource management are often undermined by fundamental governance weaknesses. We studied governance of a forest landscape in East Lombok, Indonesia. Forest Management Units (Kesatuan Pengelolaan Hutan or KPH) are an institutional mechanism used in Indonesia for coordinating the management of competing sectors in forest landscapes, balancing the interests of government, business, and civil society. Previous reviews of KPHs indicate they are not delivering their potential benefits due to an uncertain legal mandate and inadequate resources. We utilized participatory methods with a broad range of stakeholders in East Lombok to examine how KPHs might improve institutional arrangements to better meet forest landscape goals. We find that KPHs are primarily limited by insufficient integration with other actors in the landscape. Thus, strengthened engagement with other institutions, as well as civil society, is required. Although new governance arrangements that allow for institutional collaboration and community engagement are needed in the long term, there are steps that the East Lombok KPH can take now. Coordinating institutional commitments and engaging civil society to reconcile power asymmetries and build consensus can help promote sustainable outcomes. Our study concludes that improved multi-level, polycentric governance arrangements between government, NGOs, the private sector, and civil society are required to achieve sustainable landscapes in Lombok. The lessons from Lombok can inform forest landscape governance improvements throughout Indonesia and the tropics.

ACS Style

Rebecca Riggs; James Langston; Chris Margules; Agni Boedhihartono; Han Lim; Dwi Sari; Yazid Sururi; Jeffrey Sayer. Governance Challenges in an Eastern Indonesian Forest Landscape. Sustainability 2018, 10, 169 .

AMA Style

Rebecca Riggs, James Langston, Chris Margules, Agni Boedhihartono, Han Lim, Dwi Sari, Yazid Sururi, Jeffrey Sayer. Governance Challenges in an Eastern Indonesian Forest Landscape. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (1):169.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rebecca Riggs; James Langston; Chris Margules; Agni Boedhihartono; Han Lim; Dwi Sari; Yazid Sururi; Jeffrey Sayer. 2018. "Governance Challenges in an Eastern Indonesian Forest Landscape." Sustainability 10, no. 1: 169.

Journal article
Published: 08 February 2017 in Land
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Smallholder farmers and indigenous communities must cope with the opportunities and threats presented by rapidly spreading estate crops in the frontier of the agricultural market economy. Smallholder communities are subject to considerable speculation by outsiders, yet large-scale agriculture presents tradeoffs that they must navigate. We initiated a study in Sintang, West Kalimantan in 2012 and have returned annually for the last four years, building the baselines for a longer-term landscape approach to reconciling conservation and development tradeoffs in situ. Here, the stakeholders are heterogeneous, yet the land cover of the landscape is on a trajectory towards homogenous mono-cropping systems, primarily either palm oil or rubber. In one village on the frontier of the agricultural market economy, natural forests remain managed by the indigenous and local community but economics further intrude on forest use decisions. Conservation values are declining and the future of the forest is uncertain. As such, the community is ultimately attracted to more economically attractive uses of the land for local development oil palm or rubber mono-crop farms. We identify poverty as a threat to community-managed conservation success in the face of economic pressures to convert forest to intensive agriculture. We provide evidence that lucrative alternatives will challenge community-managed forests when prosperity seems achievable. To alleviate this trend, we identify formalized traditional management and landscape governance solutions to nurture a more sustainable landscape transition.

ACS Style

James D. Langston; Rebecca A. Riggs; Yazid Sururi; Terry Sunderland; Muhammad Munawir. Estate Crops More Attractive than Community Forests in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Land 2017, 6, 12 .

AMA Style

James D. Langston, Rebecca A. Riggs, Yazid Sururi, Terry Sunderland, Muhammad Munawir. Estate Crops More Attractive than Community Forests in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Land. 2017; 6 (1):12.

Chicago/Turabian Style

James D. Langston; Rebecca A. Riggs; Yazid Sururi; Terry Sunderland; Muhammad Munawir. 2017. "Estate Crops More Attractive than Community Forests in West Kalimantan, Indonesia." Land 6, no. 1: 12.

Overview article
Published: 28 November 2016 in Sustainability Science
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Landscape approaches attempt to achieve balance amongst multiple goals over long time periods and to adapt to changing conditions. We review project reports and the literature on integrated landscape approaches, and found a lack of documented studies of their long-term effectiveness. The combination of multiple and potentially changing goals presents problems for the conventional measures of impact. We propose more critical use of theories of change and measures of process and progress to complement the conventional impact assessments. Theories of change make the links between project deliverables, outputs, outcomes, and impacts explicit, and allow a full exploration of the landscape context. Landscape approaches are long-term engagements, but short-term process metrics are needed to confirm that progress is being made in negotiation of goals, meaningful stakeholder engagement, existence of connections to policy processes, and effectiveness of governance. Long-term impact metrics are needed to assess progress on achieving landscapes that deliver multiple societal benefits, including conservation, production, and livelihood benefits. Generic criteria for process are proposed, but impact metrics will be highly situation specific and must be derived from an effective process and a credible theory of change.

ACS Style

Jeffrey A. Sayer; Chris Margules; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; Terry Sunderland; James Langston; James Reed; Rebecca Riggs; Louise E. Buck; Bruce M. Campbell; Koen Kusters; Chris Elliott; Peter A. Minang; Allan Dale; Herry Purnomo; James R. Stevenson; Petrus Gunarso; Agus Purnomo. Measuring the effectiveness of landscape approaches to conservation and development. Sustainability Science 2016, 12, 465 -476.

AMA Style

Jeffrey A. Sayer, Chris Margules, Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono, Terry Sunderland, James Langston, James Reed, Rebecca Riggs, Louise E. Buck, Bruce M. Campbell, Koen Kusters, Chris Elliott, Peter A. Minang, Allan Dale, Herry Purnomo, James R. Stevenson, Petrus Gunarso, Agus Purnomo. Measuring the effectiveness of landscape approaches to conservation and development. Sustainability Science. 2016; 12 (3):465-476.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jeffrey A. Sayer; Chris Margules; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; Terry Sunderland; James Langston; James Reed; Rebecca Riggs; Louise E. Buck; Bruce M. Campbell; Koen Kusters; Chris Elliott; Peter A. Minang; Allan Dale; Herry Purnomo; James R. Stevenson; Petrus Gunarso; Agus Purnomo. 2016. "Measuring the effectiveness of landscape approaches to conservation and development." Sustainability Science 12, no. 3: 465-476.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2016 in Land Use Policy
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Land tenure in Indonesia is regulated by a complex combination of traditional, formal and informal arrangements. Legal ambiguity over land and natural resources has resulted in tenure insecurity, impacting livelihoods and perpetuating conflict. We reviewed land and forest laws in Indonesia and their effect on livelihoods and conflict and studied the impact of land tenure uncertainty in Rempek village on the island of Lombok, Nusa Tenggara Barat. In Rempek, conflict over land tenure and forest boundaries has occurred since 1984. We built a timeline of events from discussions with various stakeholders and obtained legal documents to support our analysis. The major driver of conflict is the disagreement over the forest boundaries between the Ministry of Forestry and the National Land Agency. This disagreement has escalated and introduced uncertainty, which negatively affects livelihoods in the area. Conflict resolution in Rempek requires a multi-stakeholder approach and an agreement between the Ministry of Forestry and the National Land Agency over the forest boundary and an explicit classification of land status in the conflict area. Our case study is relevant to recurrent disputes over land tenure in contemporary Indonesia. Agrarian conflict and tenure insecurity have stimulated political and social justice movements throughout the country. Recent reforms of land and forest tenure in Indonesia are opening up new pathways for local forest tenure arrangements in situations such as Rempek. Integrated landscape approaches are emerging in Indonesia and have elements that may contribute to resolving land tenure uncertainty. As land tenure security underpins livelihoods for most Indonesians, land authorities must demonstrate stronger coordination and pay more attention to realities on the ground to achieve political and legal progress on land tenure arrangements.

ACS Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs; Jeffrey Sayer; Chris Margules; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; James Douglas Langston; Hari Sutanto. Forest tenure and conflict in Indonesia: Contested rights in Rempek Village, Lombok. Land Use Policy 2016, 57, 241 -249.

AMA Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs, Jeffrey Sayer, Chris Margules, Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono, James Douglas Langston, Hari Sutanto. Forest tenure and conflict in Indonesia: Contested rights in Rempek Village, Lombok. Land Use Policy. 2016; 57 ():241-249.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rebecca Anne Riggs; Jeffrey Sayer; Chris Margules; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; James Douglas Langston; Hari Sutanto. 2016. "Forest tenure and conflict in Indonesia: Contested rights in Rempek Village, Lombok." Land Use Policy 57, no. : 241-249.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2015 in The Extractive Industries and Society
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We assess the opportunities and threats posed by small and large-scale mining in Eastern Indonesia. Here, both activities coexist in one landscape: in the Bitung and North Minahasa Districts of North Sulawesi. Each is associated with different development pathways. Both scales of mining have been controversial and are criticized for their environmental and socio-economic impacts. Small-scale mining contributes more to the local economy encouraging local entrepreneurship but yields a lower total financial return. Large-scale mining provides better job security and safer working conditions for employees, but any benefits of capital transformation do not accrue locally. Policy should focus on the formalization of small-scale mining and pay closer attention to the impact of large-scale mining on local communities. The governance of both scales of mining would benefit from a 'landscapes approach' to negotiating conservation and development trade-offs

ACS Style

James Langston; Muhammad Lubis; Jeffrey A. Sayer; Chris Margules; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; Paul H.G.M. Dirks. Comparative development benefits from small and large scale mines in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Extractive Industries and Society 2015, 2, 434 -444.

AMA Style

James Langston, Muhammad Lubis, Jeffrey A. Sayer, Chris Margules, Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono, Paul H.G.M. Dirks. Comparative development benefits from small and large scale mines in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Extractive Industries and Society. 2015; 2 (3):434-444.

Chicago/Turabian Style

James Langston; Muhammad Lubis; Jeffrey A. Sayer; Chris Margules; Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono; Paul H.G.M. Dirks. 2015. "Comparative development benefits from small and large scale mines in North Sulawesi, Indonesia." The Extractive Industries and Society 2, no. 3: 434-444.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2015 in Procedia Environmental Sciences
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A landscape provides key livelihood resources for people such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, extractive industries, and other productive land uses. It is the space in which dynamic and evolving nature-human interactions occur. Hence, understanding different functions and processes in a landscape becomes vital for poverty alleviation as well as sustainable management of natural resources. In our study to understand the landscape changes of North Sulawesi, the second richest province in Indonesia, we use a landscape approach to understand the connections between human livelihoods and environment. We studied five villages using Participatory Rural Assessments tools, consolidated questionnaires, formal and informal interviews of various stakeholders, GIS-based participatory mapping and in-the-field observations as well as secondary sources. We find natural hazards, climate variability, accessibility, extractive industries, food security and water scarcity are interlinked as big drivers of change in the landscape. Decision makers must consider them together to ensure community prosperity

ACS Style

Muhammad Irfansyah Lubis; James Langston. Understanding Landscape Change Using Participatory Mapping and Geographic Information Systems: Case Study in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Procedia Environmental Sciences 2015, 24, 206 -214.

AMA Style

Muhammad Irfansyah Lubis, James Langston. Understanding Landscape Change Using Participatory Mapping and Geographic Information Systems: Case Study in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Procedia Environmental Sciences. 2015; 24 ():206-214.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Muhammad Irfansyah Lubis; James Langston. 2015. "Understanding Landscape Change Using Participatory Mapping and Geographic Information Systems: Case Study in North Sulawesi, Indonesia." Procedia Environmental Sciences 24, no. : 206-214.