Perspectives for environmental conservation and ecosystem services on coupled rural–urban systems

•Feedbacks between coupled rural–urban systems can strengthen best agricultural management practices.•We developed an integrative approach that considers rural and urban systems as interconnected elements of the territory.•Evaluating complex systems from a territorial perspective relies on the understanding of their ecological and socioeconomic dimensions. Using a territorial and integrative approach based on ecological and socioeconomic factors, we envision innovative policies and initiatives aiming to reconcile urban economic development with rural conservation and restoration projects. The Paraíba Valley of São Paulo State represents an example of territory where the region's urban development has affected land use and land cover changes, rural production systems, economy, and population dynamics with effects on environmental conservation. Forest restoration projects, rural tourism, urban to rural migration, and demands of urban consumers for more sustainable food production are becoming important linkages of the Valley's coupled urban-rural system. In this study, we demonstrated how place-based policies and payment for ecosystem services may foster rural socioeconomic development allied with environmental conservation outcomes. The coupled rural–urban systems emerge as a strong concept to deal with the synergies and potential linkages among rural and urban areas, capable to promote more sustainable farming systems and improve ecosystem services.