Key Roles for Landscape Ecology in Transformative Agriculture Using Aotearoa—New Zealand as a Case Example

Abstract

Aotearoa—New Zealand (NZ) is internationally renowned for picturesque landscapes and agricultural products. Agricultural intensification has been economically beneficial to NZ but has implications for its clean green image. Contaminated waterways, high carbon emissions, and extensive soil erosion demonstrate the downside of high stocking rates and land clearing. Transformative farming systems are required to address the challenge of balancing production with the environment. Whilst navigating through the process of change, farmers need to be supported to make informed decisions at the farm and landscape scale. Landscape ecology (LE) is ideally positioned to inform the development of future farming landscapes and provide a scientific context to the criteria against which land-related information can be evaluated. However, to do this effectively, LE needs to demonstrate that it can link theory with practice. Using NZ as a case example, this paper discusses the key roles for LE in future farming systems. It looks at the way LE can help quantify the state of the landscape, provide support towards the co-creation of alternative futures, and assist with the inclusion of land-related information into design and planning to ensure mitigation and adaption responses assist in the transformation of farming systems for sustainable outcomes.

Restoration and Conservation of Priority Areas of Caatinga’s Semi-Arid Forest Remnants Can Support Connectivity within an Agricultural Landscape

“…The development of sustainable agriculture policies requires the increase in the understanding of the ecological impacts on biodiversity at the landscape level of farming systems [40]. In the Caatinga biome, conservation programs around agriculture land need to urgently stop species and natural ecosystem loss [34].…”

Lifestyle Properties, Ecosystem Services, and Biodiversity Protection in Peri-Urban Aotearoa–New Zealand: A Case Study from Peri-Urban Palmerston North

“…The strong sense of cultural connection was evident amongst all respondents to the survey, and although the contribution of the peri-urban area from a cultural perspective is often not widely recognized, greater recognition must be given to the role that the landscapes play, especially when planning for future development is considered. In NZ, under the Treaty of Waitangi Te Tiriti o Waitangi (signed in 1840 between the British Crown and Māori chiefs), it is important to acknowledge the cultural importance of landscapes for Māori and to consider the views of local iwi and hap ū (Māori tribes and clans) in modifications to the landscape [16]. Although this study did not consider Māori cultural connections to the Turitea landscapes, it is important that Māori beliefs, values, and connections are considered in any development plans.…”

“…The policy has been targeted especially towards trying to achieve a reduction of nitrate and methane emissions from agricultural production (e.g., see National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 [14] and Climate Change Response (Zero-Carbon) Amendment Act 2019 [15]). There has also been increasing attention on enhancing biodiversity and creating multifunctional landscapes for the multitude of ecosystem services benefits these approaches can provide [16,17]. Emphasis has also been placed on how to design future landscapes through incorporating the value of "land sharing" and diversification of farmland for ecosystem service enhancement and protection [16,18].…”

“…There has also been increasing attention on enhancing biodiversity and creating multifunctional landscapes for the multitude of ecosystem services benefits these approaches can provide [16,17]. Emphasis has also been placed on how to design future landscapes through incorporating the value of "land sharing" and diversification of farmland for ecosystem service enhancement and protection [16,18]. The application of regenerative farming practices in NZ has also recently encouraged research as well as practical attention to help ensure provisioning services can be perpetuated whilst protecting important natural and cultural ecosystem services [19,20].…”

Pursuing Plurality: Exploring the Synergies and Challenges of Knowledge Co-production in Multifunctional Landscape Design

“…While our work engages with recent scholarship on questioning Aotearoa NZ's colonial roots of landscape design (Abbott and Boyle, 2019;Marques et al, 2021) and trysts with multifunctionality (Pearson, 2020;Tran et al, 2020), it is deeply inspired by the powerful and ongoing mobilization the place-based cosmologies of the Māori people, the autochthonous/indigenous people of Aotearoa NZ (Lilley, 2018). Specifically, we work with the Mauriora Systems Framework (MSF) which is a processual framework emanating from Mātauranga Māori cosmology and Kaupapa Māori practice (Matunga et al, 2020).…”