Could Commoning Unlock the Potential of Integrated Landscape Approaches?

Background: Landscape approaches are recognized for their holistic view on development and conservation. However, they encounter sustainability and localization challenges due to short-term funding constraints and dependence on external experts. In this paper, we examine commoning as a means of land...

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Main Authors: Xiao Lu Wang, Wai Fung Lam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Land
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/1114
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author Xiao Lu Wang
Wai Fung Lam
author_facet Xiao Lu Wang
Wai Fung Lam
author_sort Xiao Lu Wang
collection DOAJ
description Background: Landscape approaches are recognized for their holistic view on development and conservation. However, they encounter sustainability and localization challenges due to short-term funding constraints and dependence on external experts. In this paper, we examine commoning as a means of land tenure interventions that enable mixed land use and community stewardship. Methods: Based on desk research and 20 interviews, an institutional analysis was performed on two landscape management cases to shed light on commoning processes and land tenure changes, as well as their impact on land use and community stewardship. Results: In the first case, a collaborative governance model was developed through policy interventions, which provided not only institutional frameworks but also financial resources to incentivize landowners to cooperate with nature conservation groups and share management rights over their land. In the second case, a community land trust model was used by self-organized civil society actors to develop ecovillage practices and ensure the balance of conservation and agricultural uses. In both cases, we found that land tenure innovations in terms of boundary rules, choice rules, aggregation rules, as well as rules for higher-level action situations, were key to enabling land rights sharing, mixed land use, and different levels of stewardship depending on the preferences and capacity of stakeholders. Conclusions: Commoning could address the sustainability and localization challenges faced by landscape approaches to mixed land use and long-term adaptive management.
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spelling doaj-art-5c4f0a4411704c88a8f51e74cc48e6cb2025-08-20T02:33:57ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-05-01145111410.3390/land14051114Could Commoning Unlock the Potential of Integrated Landscape Approaches?Xiao Lu Wang0Wai Fung Lam1School of Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, ChinaDepartment of Politics and Public Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, ChinaBackground: Landscape approaches are recognized for their holistic view on development and conservation. However, they encounter sustainability and localization challenges due to short-term funding constraints and dependence on external experts. In this paper, we examine commoning as a means of land tenure interventions that enable mixed land use and community stewardship. Methods: Based on desk research and 20 interviews, an institutional analysis was performed on two landscape management cases to shed light on commoning processes and land tenure changes, as well as their impact on land use and community stewardship. Results: In the first case, a collaborative governance model was developed through policy interventions, which provided not only institutional frameworks but also financial resources to incentivize landowners to cooperate with nature conservation groups and share management rights over their land. In the second case, a community land trust model was used by self-organized civil society actors to develop ecovillage practices and ensure the balance of conservation and agricultural uses. In both cases, we found that land tenure innovations in terms of boundary rules, choice rules, aggregation rules, as well as rules for higher-level action situations, were key to enabling land rights sharing, mixed land use, and different levels of stewardship depending on the preferences and capacity of stakeholders. Conclusions: Commoning could address the sustainability and localization challenges faced by landscape approaches to mixed land use and long-term adaptive management.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/1114integrated landscape approachesland tenure interventioninstitutional analysiscommoning
spellingShingle Xiao Lu Wang
Wai Fung Lam
Could Commoning Unlock the Potential of Integrated Landscape Approaches?
Land
integrated landscape approaches
land tenure intervention
institutional analysis
commoning
title Could Commoning Unlock the Potential of Integrated Landscape Approaches?
title_full Could Commoning Unlock the Potential of Integrated Landscape Approaches?
title_fullStr Could Commoning Unlock the Potential of Integrated Landscape Approaches?
title_full_unstemmed Could Commoning Unlock the Potential of Integrated Landscape Approaches?
title_short Could Commoning Unlock the Potential of Integrated Landscape Approaches?
title_sort could commoning unlock the potential of integrated landscape approaches
topic integrated landscape approaches
land tenure intervention
institutional analysis
commoning
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/1114
work_keys_str_mv AT xiaoluwang couldcommoningunlockthepotentialofintegratedlandscapeapproaches
AT waifunglam couldcommoningunlockthepotentialofintegratedlandscapeapproaches