Addressing landscape multifunctionality in conservation and restoration

To counter the challenges at the nexus of biodiversity loss, climate change, food security and social inclusion, substantial areas of the planet must be dedicated to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration. Increasing competition for land exacerbates the need for multifunctional approaches that balance multiple uses at the landscape level. In this Review, we examine scientific concepts and practical approaches of landscape multifunctionality from different continents and across time. Landscape multifunctionality refers to the delivery of bundles of ecosystem services — shaped by biodiversity, land use and climate — and addresses synergies and trade-offs with biodiversity. Multifunctional land-use systems move beyond sectoral approaches to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration. These systems are diverse but share a unifying objective: to simultaneously advance biodiversity conservation, food production, human well-being, climate mitigation and other sustainability goals, rather than pursuing them in isolation. Multifunctional land-use systems can inform inclusive and context-sensitive implementation of key biodiversity conservation strategies, such as protected areas, Indigenous and community conserved areas, and ecosystem restoration. To unlock further potential of multifunctionality, future research in conservation and restoration science should link with the emerging fields of regenerative, socially inclusive and transformative approaches to conservation. Multifunctional land-use systems supply multiple ecosystem services while contributing to biodiversity conservation. This Review summarizes the provision of ecosystem services and their trade-offs and synergies with biodiversity at the landscape scale, explores traditional, contemporary and emerging land-use systems, and highlights strategies and challenges to achieve multifunctionality in conservation and restoration.