WEAVING FOR A THRIVING PLANET System Change The world’s landscapes and ecosystems are degrading at an unprecedented pace. It’s in our common interest to build resilient landscapes, restore healthy ecosystems and create regenerative businesses for generations to come. Now more than ever, the world needs viable solutions based on social and ecological needs, science and entrepreneurship. For this to happen, we need a practical holistic approach that everybody understands. Frame Change: Mindset Shift Focus Commonland uses a process based on Theory U as developed by the Presencing Institute. The initiative seeks out the root causes behind problems. It explores new ways of collaboration, raising awareness amongst all stakeholders to see our blind spots and open our minds, hearts, and efforts. Community-based Approach Since 2013, Commonland has built a universal concept that brings farmers, landowners, entrepreneurs, communities, nature organizations, and legislators together to create real returns on investment per hectare. Called 4 Returns, this framework can initiate, organize, and follow through on large-scale and longterm restoration initiatives that integrate ecology, land use, and business. Commonland firmly believes in collaboration; this is why it has an active network of proactive organizations, investors, experts, NGOs, governments, and businesses. Those stakeholders advise the initiative and work beside it to help it fulfill its mission. Scaling & Replication Scaling & Replication Strategy: Commonland has worked out a strategy to reach its goal for 2040: aiming to create 100 million hectares of thriving ecosystems and communities. We foster the exchange of knowledge through training and workshops and Labs that bring people from different backgrounds and motivations together to seek out the root causes behind problems and explore new ways of collaboration. We are currently prototyping an online community platform called 4returns.earth. This online space caters to a growing global community of practitioners and other professionals involved in large-scale landscape restoration projects using our holistic 4 Returns framework. The 4 Returns platform connects you to a like-minded global community that shares ideas, tools, courses, publications, events and stories. . Scaling & Replication History: Commonland had its beginnings in 2014. Since then, in 2018, it has had a major scaling. Now, in 2021, Commonland is just at the point of scaling up again. Scaling interest: Commonland’s interest for scaling lies in 3 areas: 1. Commonland as “an enabler” of restoration: Influence restoration across 1.000 landscapes by 2040 2. Commonland as “a catalyst” of restoration: Organize restoration in 50 landscapes by 2040 3. Commonland as “an initiator” of restoration: Expand our track record from 4 to 8 core landscapes by 2040 Scaling & Replication Needs: To scale up, Commonland needs 3 main elements: 1) new landscape partnerships, 2) co-facilitating Landscape Labs, 3) online networking, and 4) collaboration learning communities. Challenges According to Commonland, our time’s great challenge is to restore Earth’s ecosystems and create resilient landscapes. Commonland believes a new balance between the ecological foundation, human wellbeing, and economics needs to be re-established. In accordance, challenges to restore land relate to human behavior. For instance how to inspire people, have people commit to a shared vision, have stakeholders align on the ground, and have them develop new concrete business cases. 47
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