Transformational change of regional landscapes: navigating planetary limits and resource constraints over the next five decades

The project brought together a group of Australian researchers and managers with a broad range of expertise to identify current and emerging economies (‘drivers’) affecting regional agricultural landscapes and to suggest beneficial transformational changes for successful adaptation. A key challenge in these landscapes is altering how we use the land for ongoing, viable production while increasing native biodiversity. To make progress we needed insights from people familiar with the social-ecological system that is a regional landscape. Two questions were posed: Is it possible to transform an existing agricultural landscape to overcome the current degradation trends and impending productionand conservation limits? If so, what biophysical, social, institutional, business, economic and political components are needed in an integrated process designand action framework that has a good chance of achieving transformational change? The intention was to produce an authoritative science-based report to inspire the Australian government to develop a policy white paper on navigating transformational change in regional landscapes over the next five decades.