Abstract:

The “GEF-Satoyama Project” (the “Project”), a global project funded by the Global Environment Facility since 2015, aims to mainstream conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) for a society in harmony with nature. This paper showcases the experiences of ten demonstration projects in SEPLS from the Indo-Burma, Tropical Andes and Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands regions, which were selected through calls for proposals in these three regions and received financial support by the Project, focusing around the three questions that are important for SEPLS. These are: How can various stakeholders become aware of the values of SEPLS; how can traditional knowledge gained from SEPLS be maintained and used; and how can the governance of SEPLS be strengthened? Review and analysis of the demonstration projects showed that they were tackling the issues pertinent to the values, traditional knowledge and governance as vital and interconnected constituents of SEPLS. The preliminary outcomes of their efforts were illustrated in various ways, such as reduced negative drivers affecting biodiversity (particularly resource overexploitation, land use and land cover changes, climate change and pollution) as well as stronger institutions to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable forms of production in SEPLS.