The composition, distribution, and socio-economic dimensions of Ghana's mangrove ecosystems.

Mangrove ecosystems are recognised as one of the nature-based solutions to a changing climate. Notwithstanding the socio-ecological benefits of mangrove ecosystems, they are increasingly being destructed in some regions of the world. In Ghana, several studies have reported on the status, use, and management strategies of mangrove ecosystems in different sites of the country. However, these studies do not make it possible to appreciate the broader picture of Ghana's mangrove ecosystems since they are not synthesized into a single comprehensive report. This study uses the ROSES method for systematic reviews to report on Ghana's mangrove ecosystem distribution and species composition, as well as their socio-economic benefits, the anthropogenic and natural impacts on Ghana's mangrove ecosystems, and the management strategies and/or practices on Ghana's mangrove ecosystems. The study reveals there is no existing management strategy for Ghana's mangrove ecosystems, and therefore recommends the need to develop and implement policies and regulations that specifically target the protection and sustainable use of mangrove ecosystems in Ghana.

Teaching the Modeling of Human-Environment Systems: Acknowledging Complexity with an Agent-Based Model.

Agent-based modeling is a promising tool for familiarizing students with complex systems as well as programming skills. Human-environment systems, for instance, entail complex interdependencies that need to be considered when modeling these systems. This complexity is often neglected in teaching modeling approaches. For a heterogeneous group of master's students at a German university, we pre-built an agent-based model. In class, this was used to teach modeling impacts of land use policies and markets on ecosystem services. As part of the course, the students had to perform small research projects with the model in groups of two. This study aims to evaluate how well students could deal with the complexity involved in the model based on their group work outcomes. Chosen indicators were, e.g., the appropriateness of their research goals, the suitability of the methods applied, and how well they acknowledged the limitations. Our study results revealed that teaching complex systems does not need to be done with too simplistic models. Most students, even with little background in modeling and programming, were able to deal with the complex model setup, conduct small research projects, and have a thoughtful discussion on the limitations involved. With adequate theoretical input during lectures, we recommend using models that do not hide the complexity of the systems but foster a realistic simplification of the interactions. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10956-022-10022-z.

Large-scale reforestation can increase water yield and reduce drought risk for water-insecure regions in the Asia-Pacific.

Large-scale reforestation can potentially bring both benefits and risks to the water cycle, which needs to be better quantified under future climates to inform reforestation decisions. We identified 477 water-insecure basins worldwide accounting for 44.6% (380.2 Mha) of the global reforestation potential. As many of these basins are in the Asia-Pacific, we used regional coupled land-climate modeling for the period 2041-2070 to reveal that reforestation increases evapotranspiration and precipitation for most water-insecure regions over the Asia-Pacific. This resulted in a statistically significant increase in water yield (p < .05) for the Loess Plateau-North China Plain, Yangtze Plain, Southeast China, and Irrawaddy regions. Precipitation feedback was influenced by the degree of initial moisture limitation affecting soil moisture response and thus evapotranspiration, as well as precipitation advection from other reforested regions and moisture transport away from the local region. Reforestation also reduces the probability of extremely dry months in most of the water-insecure regions. However, some regions experience nonsignificant declines in net water yield due to heightened evapotranspiration outstripping increases in precipitation, or declines in soil moisture and advected precipitation.

Rarity begets rarity: Social and environmental drivers of rare organisms in cities.

Cities are sometimes characterized as homogenous with species assemblages composed of abundant, generalist species having similar ecological functions. Under this assumption, rare species, or species observed infrequently, would have especially high conservation value in cities for their potential to increase functional diversity. Management to increase the number of rare species in cities could be an important conservation strategy in a rapidly urbanizing world. However, most studies of species rarity define rarity in relatively pristine environments where human management and disturbance is minimized. We know little about what species are rare, how many species are rare, and what management practices promote rare species in urban environments. Here, we identified which plants and species of birds and bees that control pests and pollinate crops are rare in urban gardens and assessed how social, biophysical factors, and cross-taxonomic comparisons influence rare species richness. We found overwhelming numbers of rare species, with more than 50% of plants observed classified as rare. Our results highlight the importance of women, older individuals, and gardeners who live closer to garden sites in increasing the number of rare plants within urban areas. Fewer rare plants were found in older gardens and gardens with more bare soil. There were more rare bird species in larger gardens and more rare bee species for which canopy cover was higher. We also found that in some cases, rarity begets rarity, with positive correlations found between the number of rare plants and bee species and between bee and bird species. Overall, our results suggest that urban gardens include a high number of species existing at low frequency and that social and biophysical factors promoting rare, planned biodiversity can cascade down to promote rare, associated biodiversity.

Addressing the social barriers to green stormwater infrastructure in residential areas from a socio-ecological perspective.

Despite the well-recognized financial limitations, social aspects can also impact the adoption of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) as it is ingrained in the socio-ecological system we live in. Thus, this work focuses on gaining an understanding of the public's perceptions of GSI by considering cognitive biases that hinder its adoption. This work is composed of two forms of human-subject studies, including an online-based survey and a series of semi-structured interviews. The survey (n = 510) was conducted to gauge public opinions toward GSI, whereas the interviews with representatives of major local regulatory agencies were to learn about the logistics for GSI implementation in Mecklenburg County, NC. The results were interpreted using the theory of planned behavior of rational actors. Statistical results showed a weak interpretation through this theory to explain the survey participants' intention to adopt GSI measures. This could suggest that the incorporation of irrationality, such as cognitive biases, could further enhance the predictability of the theory. At the same time, an inconsistency between the findings from the survey and the interviews was identified: most survey participants showed an overall uniform positive attitude, intention, and behavior regarding GSI practice adoption, whereas the interviewed experts all suggested a wide diversity on such terms. Suggestions were made based on the findings for better policy-making on public engagement for local regulatory agencies. This research aims to help local stormwater management authorities explore shortcomings in current stakeholder engagement plans to gain sustainable support for GSI implementation in urbanized areas.

Earth observation and geospatial data can predict the relative distribution of village level poverty in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, India.

There is increasing interest in leveraging Earth Observation (EO) and geospatial data to predict and map aspects of socioeconomic conditions to support survey and census activities. This is particularly relevant for the frequent monitoring required to assess progress towards the UNs' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR) is a region of international ecological importance, containing the Indian portion of the world's largest mangrove forest. The region is densely populated and home to over 4.4 million people, many living in chronic poverty with a strong dependence on nature-based rural livelihoods. Such livelihoods are vulnerable to frequent natural hazards including cyclone landfall and storm surges. In this study we examine associations between environmental variables derived from EO and geospatial data with a village level multidimensional poverty metric using random forest machine learning, to provide evidence in support of policy formulation in the field of poverty reduction. We find that environmental variables can predict up to 78% of the relative distribution of the poorest villages within the SBR. Exposure to cyclone hazard was the most important variable for prediction of poverty. The poorest villages were associated with relatively small areas of rural settlement (<∼30%), large areas of agricultural land (>∼50%) and moderate to high cyclone hazard. The poorest villages were also associated with less productive agricultural land than the wealthiest. Analysis suggests villages with access to more diverse livelihood options, and a smaller dependence on agriculture may be more resilient to cyclone hazard. This study contributes to the understanding of poverty-environment dynamics within Low-and middle-income countries and the associations found can inform policy linked to socio-environmental scenarios within the SBR and potentially support monitoring of work towards SDG1 (No Poverty) across the region.

Understating complex interactions in socio-ecological systems using system dynamics: A case in the tropical Andes.

The high dependence of human communities on ecosystems' well-functioning has transformed and degraded ecosystems at alarming rates. Strategies for sustainability are an urgent need and requires the understanding of the complex interactions between human and ecological systems in the territories. For such understanding several modelling approaches have been proposed, but still face important challenges. This manuscript contributes by examining the dynamics of land use and land cover change in a basin in Colombian Andes using the socio-ecological systems approach. We develop a system dynamics model for a basin socio-ecological system with four interrelated subsystems and ecosystem services. The ecosystem services considered are hydrological regulation and erosion as an inverse proxy for the regulation ecosystem service of erosion control. In the model different natural and social processes of multiple time and spatial scales are considered. The model contributes to fill the following gaps identified by recent scientific literature: (i) Analysis of spatiotemporal dynamics of ES and SES remains a major challenge (ii) There are very few studies on the dynamics of mountain ecosystem services in the south hemisphere (iii) There is need of studies that focus on more than one ecosystem service to allow the analysis of the interaction between different ES, (iv) Models are often developed to only work with biophysical data excluding socioeconomic aspects that contribute to understanding complexity of SES, (iv) includes a human decision making process modelling that considers multiple criteria to decide land use. The modeling approach presented here constitutes an advance in the challenges associated with socio-ecological systems modeling.

Sustainable Community Forest Management in Mexico: An Integrated Model of Three Socio-ecological Frameworks.

The sustainability of management practices in forest ecosystems should provide ecosystem services and maintain the livelihoods that largely depend on the benefits directly derived from forests; but this goal requires various theoretical and analytical approaches. This research aims to develop a conceptual model for sustainable forest management based on the integration of three conceptual frameworks founded on the society-ecosystem interaction: socio-ecological systems, sustainable forest management, and ecosystem services. The results offer a methodological, analytical, organizational, and operational route to integrate a scientific model at the material, causal, and dynamic levels, considering theoretical and empirical information; it uses grounded theory methodology to select the interactions between variables and socio-ecological dynamics of forest ecosystems under community management. For example, it integrates social components (local knowledge, governance, and social organization) and ecological components (diversity and composition of plant species, carbon pools, and nutrient dynamics) to understand their interactions through management practices and the magnitude of the ecosystem services provided according to the local contexts. We illustrate this process by analyzing the influence of governance, decision-making, resource use, and management practices on forest management and ecosystem services; this exemplifies the factors, interactions, and effects on socio-ecological systems based on experience in forest communities. These integrated frameworks provide steps through which our understanding of specific socio-ecological approaches produces better outcomes for sustainable forest management, preserves ecosystems services and benefits livelihoods in Mexican temperate forests.

Managing multifunctional landscapes: Local insights from a Pacific Island Country context.

Across Pacific Island Countries, projects and policies are incorporating objectives related to managing landscape multifunctionality to sustain flows of multiple, valued ecosystem services. Strategies to manage natural resources are often not effective, or do not have intended outcomes, if they do not account for local contexts and the varied needs and constraints of stakeholders who rely upon natural resources for their livelihoods. Through fieldwork in Ba, Fiji, local insights were generated concerning the institutional, geographic, and socio-economic factors which determine and challenge i) different stakeholders' ability to access landscape resources, and ii) stakeholders' capacities to benefit from ecosystem services. The following insights were generated from this research which are important for guiding management of landscape multifunctionality. In Ba, hierarchical governance systems present barriers to effective management of landscape multifunctionality, and projects or policies with aims to manage landscapes should establish context appropriate multi-scale governance. Such governance systems should facilitate communication and interaction between different stakeholders, build upon community knowledge, and support communities as key actors in landscape management. Consideration of the spatial footprint of landscape resources, stakeholders' different physical and financial capacities, and the institutional structures that mediate access to resources should be central to landscape management and planning. Various climatic stressors affect flows of ecosystem services from the Ba landscape and people's capacity to access landscape resources; therefore, it is important that management of landscapes also builds resilience to climate stressors.

The role of ecosystems in mitigation and management of Covid-19 and other zoonoses.

There is rising international concern about the zoonotic origins of many global pandemics. Increasing human-animal interactions are perceived as driving factors in pathogen transfer, emphasising the close relationships between human, animal and environmental health. Contemporary livelihood and market patterns tend to degrade ecosystems and their services, driving a cycle of degradation in increasingly tightly linked socio-ecological systems. This contributes to reductions in the natural regulating capacities of ecosystem services to limit disease transfer from animals to humans. It also undermines natural resource availability, compromising measures such as washing and sanitation that may be key to managing subsequent human-to-human disease transmission. Human activities driving this degrading cycle tend to convert beneficial ecosystem services into disservices, exacerbating risks related to zoonotic diseases. Conversely, measures to protect or restore ecosystems constitute investment in foundational capital, enhancing their capacities to provide for greater human security and opportunity. We use the DPSIR (Drivers-Pressures-State change-Impact-Response) framework to explore three aspects of zoonotic diseases: (1) the significance of disease regulation ecosystem services and their degradation in the emergence of Covid-19 and other zoonotic diseases; and of the protection of natural resources as mitigating contributions to both (2) regulating human-to-human disease transfer; and (3) treatment of disease outbreaks. From this analysis, we identify a set of appropriate response options, recognising the foundational roles of ecosystems and the services they provide in risk management. Zoonotic disease risks are ultimately interlinked with biodiversity crises and water insecurity. The need to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic ongoing at the time of writing creates an opportunity for systemic policy change, placing scientific knowledge of the value and services of ecosystems at the heart of societal concerns as a key foundation for a more secure future. Rapid political responses and unprecedented economic stimuli reacting to the pandemic demonstrate that systemic change is achievable at scale and pace, and is also therefore transferrable to other existential, global-scale threats including climate change and the 'biodiversity crisis'. This also highlights the need for concerted global action, and is also consistent with the duties, and ultimately the self-interests, of developed, donor nations.

Translating Ecological Integrity terms into operational language to inform societies.

It is crucial that societies are informed on the risks of impoverished ecosystem health for their well-being. For this purpose, Ecological Integrity (EI) is a useful concept that seeks to capture the complex nature of ecosystems and their interaction with social welfare. But the challenge remains to measure EI and translate scientific terminology into operational language to inform society. We propose an approach that simplifies marine ecosystem complexity by applying scientific knowledge to identify which components reflect the state or state change of ecosystems. It follows a bottom-up structure that identifies, based on expert knowledge, biological components related with past and present changing conditions. It is structured in 5 stages that interact in an adaptive way: stage 1, in situ observations suggest changes could be happening; stage 2 explores available data that represent EI; stage 3, experts' workshops target the identification of the minimum set of variables needed to define EI, or the risk of losing EI; an optative stage 4, where deviance from EI, or risk of deviance, is statistically assessed; stage 5, findings are communicated to society. We demonstrate the framework effectiveness in three case studies, including a data poor situation, an area where lack of reference sites hampers the identification of historical changes, and an area where diffuse sources of stress make it difficult to identify simple relationships with of ecological responses. The future challenge is to operationalise the approach and trigger desirable society actions to strengthen a social-nature link.

Shaping the role of 'fast' and 'slow' drivers of change in forest-shrubland socio-ecological systems.

The temporal speeds and spatial scales at which ecosystem processes operate are often at odds with the scale and speed at which natural resources such as soil, water and vegetation are managed those. Scale mismatches often occur as a result of the time-lag between policy development, implementation and observable changes in natural capital in particular. In this study, we analyse some of the transformations that can occur in complex forest-shrubland socio-ecological systems undergoing biophysical and socioeconomic change. We use a Multiway Factor Analysis (MFA) applied to a representative set of variables to assess changes in components of natural, economic and social capitals over time. Our results indicate similarities among variables and spatial units (i.e. municipalities) which allows us to rank the variables used to describe the SES according to their rapidity of change. The novelty of the proposed framework lies in the fact that the assessment of rapidity-to-change, based on the MFA, takes into account the multivariate relationships among the system's variables, identifying the net rate of change for the whole system, and the relative impact that individual variables exert on the system itself. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of fast and slow variables on the evolution of socio-economic systems based on simplified multivariate procedures applicable to vastly different socio-economic contexts and conditions. This study also contributes to quantitative analysis methods for long-established socio-ecological systems, which may help in designing more effective, and sustainable land management strategies in environmentally sensitive areas.

"It Really Takes a Village": A Socio-Ecological Model of Resilience for Prevention Among Economically Disadvantaged Ethnic Minority Youth.

Promoting resilience prevents maladaptation among economically disadvantaged ethnic minority (EDEM) youth. EDEM youth need access to a variety of assets and promotive factors (i.e., resources) in the family, school, and community system to counter risks and promote positive adaptation. However, the field lacks a socio-ecological model of resilience for prevention targeted towards EDEM youth. We aim to review assets and promotive factors in the family, school, and community systems to present a socio-ecological model of resilience for the prevention of negative educational and health outcomes among EDEM youth. We reorient the social ecologies of EDEM youth from "at risk" to "at promise" focusing on family and community-centered prevention models. We discuss implications for the design of prevention strategies as well as their implementation and methodological challenges.

Predictors, spatial distribution, and occurrence of woody invasive plants in subtropical urban ecosystems.

We examined the spatial distribution, occurrence, and socioecological predictors of woody invasive plants (WIP) in two subtropical, coastal urban ecosystems: San Juan, Puerto Rico and Miami-Dade, United States. These two cities have similar climates and ecosystems typical of subtropical regions but differ in socioeconomics, topography, and urbanization processes. Using permanent plot data, available forest inventory protocols and statistical analyses of geographic and socioeconomic spatial predictors, we found that landscape level distribution and occurrence of WIPs was not clustered. We also characterized WIP composition and occurrence using logistic models, and found they were strongly related to the proportional area of residential land uses. However, the magnitude and trend of increase depended on median household income and grass cover. In San Juan, WIP occurrence was higher in areas of high residential cover when incomes were low or grass cover was low, whereas the opposite was true in Miami-Dade. Although Miami-Dade had greater invasive shrub cover and numbers of WIP species, San Juan had far greater invasive tree density, basal area and crown cover. This study provides an approach for incorporating field and available census data in geospatial distribution models of WIPs in cities throughout the globe. Findings indicate that identifying spatial predictors of WIPs depends on site-specific factors and the ecological scale of the predictor. Thus, mapping protocols and policies to eradicate urban WIPs should target indicators of a relevant scale specific to the area of interest for their improved and proactive management.

Connected interactions: enriching food web research by spatial and social interactions.

This theme issue features 18 papers exploring ecological interactions, encompassing metabolic, social, and spatial connections alongside traditional trophic networks. This integration enriches food web research, offering insights into ecological dynamics. By examining links across organisms, populations, and ecosystems, a hierarchical approach emerges, connecting horizontal effects within organizational levels vertically across biological organization levels. The inclusion of interactions involving humans is a key focus, highlighting the need for their integration into ecology given the complex interactions between human activities and ecological systems in the Anthropocene. The comprehensive exploration in this theme issue sheds light on the interconnectedness of ecological systems and the importance of considering diverse interactions in understanding ecosystem dynamics. This article is part of the theme issue 'Connected interactions: enriching food web research by spatial and social interactions'.

The web of conflict-related interactions in Colombia: exploring causal linkages between ecological and social variables by the qualitative loop analysis.

In Colombia, the long-lasting internal conflict heavily shaped the socio-ecological context and imposed relationships that persisted after the peace agreement was signed in 2016. One question of interest is whether policies or interventions conceived to attain desirable goals for the post-conflict society may be effective or, rather, if the constraints imposed by the conflict scenario might produce unintended effects, either on the environmental or the social side. To explore this issue, we envisaged the socio-ecological system as a parsimonious set of characteristic ecological and social variables within the conflict-related framework and reconstructed their interactions, exploiting elicitation-based information and the literature. We visualized the resulting interactive networks as signed digraphs. Applying the qualitative technique of loop analysis combined with numerical simulations, we predicted the response of the system to policies as drivers of change, such as subsidized credit to capital-intensive activities or policies that increase small farming competitiveness and access to markets. Highlighting causal linkages reveals that the persistence of conflict factors may produce unexpected interdependencies between licit and illicit activities and that, only in a few cases, the persistence of these mechanisms allows synergies between desirable goals.This article is part of the theme issue 'Connected interactions: enriching food web research by spatial and social interactions'.

Bridging local and scientific knowledge for area-based conservation of useful plants in Colombia.

While the importance of interdisciplinary approaches is increasingly recognised in conservation, bridging knowledge systems across scales remains a fundamental challenge. Focusing on the Important Plant Areas (IPA) approach, we evaluate how complementing scientific and local knowledge can better inform the conservation of useful plants in Colombia. We worked in three municipalities to investigate knowledge on useful plant richness, species composition and use types, as well as perceptions on area-based plant conservation approaches. Participatory focus groups and ethnobotanical walks-in-the-woods were undertaken with local communities, while scientific data were represented by occurrence records from global data aggregators and digitised collections. A total of 1190 species with human uses were reported. Combining knowledge systems provided the richest understanding of useful plants but the relative contribution of each system varied between study areas, influenced by the history of scientific studies, socio-ecological context and study design. Meanwhile, local perceptions of how conservation areas should be selected differed from global IPA criteria. These results show that working with local communities can improve biological understanding for spatial conservation planning. Additionally, participatory approaches must move beyond community-based conservation and data collection, to inform the design of global conservation programmes.

RESUMEN: Si bien la importancia de los enfoques interdisciplinarios se reconoce cada vez más en la conservación, articular los sistemas de conocimiento a través de sus escalas sigue siendo un desafío fundamental. Centrándonos en el enfoque de Áreas Importantes para Plantas (AIP), evaluamos cómo la integración entre conocimiento científico y local puede mejorar la información para la conservación de las plantas útiles en Colombia. Trabajamos en tres municipios para investigar el conocimiento sobre la riqueza de plantas útiles, la composición de especies y los tipos de uso, así como las percepciones sobre los enfoques de conservación de plantas basados en áreas. Se llevaron a cabo grupos de enfoque participativos y caminatas etnobotánicas en el bosque con las comunidades, mientras que los datos científicos se representaron mediante registros de ocurrencia de agregadores de datos globales y colecciones digitalizadas. En total se reportaron 1.190 especies con usos humanos. La combinación de sistemas de conocimiento proporcionó la comprensión más rica de las plantas útiles, pero la contribución relativa de cada sistema varió entre las áreas de estudio, influenciada por la historia de los estudios científicos, el contexto socioecológico y el diseño del estudio. Por otra parte, las percepciones locales sobre cómo se deben seleccionar las áreas de conservación difirieron de los criterios globales de las AIP. Estos resultados muestran que trabajar con las comunidades locales puede mejorar la comprensión biológica para la planificación de la conservación espacial. Además, los enfoques participativos deben ir más allá de la recopilación de datos y la conservación basada en la comunidad, para instruir el diseño de programas de conservación global.

Does commercialization lead to more intensive management strategies? Decision-making for the utilization of non-timber forest products in a Nahua area of the Sierra Negra, Mexico.

BACKGROUND: The commercialization of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) provides income for rural indigenous households. The integration of NTFPs into formal markets tends to intensify management practices to ensure production and monetary benefits. However, more research is needed to understand the motivations for managing of commercialized species. We examine the influence of social, ecological, and economic factors on traditional management and how they drive the adoption of more or less intensive practices for subsistence and commercially traded NTFPs. METHODS: The study was conducted in the Nahua community of Ixtacxochitla, in the Sierra Negra of central Mexico, where we conducted free lists and semi-structured interviews in 32% of the 88 households to assess socio-ecological variables related to management practices. In addition, we interviewed local traders to assess commercial variables used in a cost-benefit model to calculate the net annual income of commercialized species. Non-metric multidimensional scaling was used to analyze relationships between socio-ecological variables and management practices. We also explored the relationship between management and commercial factors using principal component analysis. RESULTS: We recorded 64 plant and mushroom species of NTFPs used for medicinal, ornamental, ceremonial, and edible purposes, 36 of which are commercialized in the municipal market of Coyomeapan. The commercialized species generated an average annual net income of MXN 67,526 (USD 3924) per family, with five species contributing the most. Species both used for both subsistence and commercialization were managed through incipient in situ gathering, tolerance in ex situ anthropogenic areas, and intensive protection and propagation efforts in ex situ environments. Even the five species with the highest commercial returns were managed across this gradient of practices. Key factors influencing the adoption of more intensive species management practices were feasibility of management, type of species use, ecological abundance, frequency of consumption, and cultural importance. CONCLUSIONS: The intensification of NTFPs management is not solely driven by the commercial value of the products or the level of income generated. Instead, the interaction between socio-ecological and economic factors determines the extent of management practices. The main constraint to the implementation of intensive practices has been the inability to manage species outside their natural habitats, despite their cultural significance and frequent consumption. Understanding the factors involved in the harvesting of NTFPs can serve as the basis for future research aimed at analyzing the conditions for successful and sustainable NTFPs commercialization.

A manifesto for coastal landscape governance: Reframing the relationship between coastal and landscape governance.

There is an urgent demand for substantial reforms in the governance of coastal regions. Recent research advocates for a transformative shift in European coastal governance system towards a landscape governance approach. This perspective, informed by a narrative literature review on coastal and landscape governance, explores the potential value of coastal landscape governance, drawing on the Council of Europe Landscape Convention. Our results, presented in the form of a manifesto, underscore the need to move beyond political administrative boundaries and address all coastal landscapes as socio-ecological systems. It emphasises the necessity for the State to recognise them as a public and common good, establishing a specific governance arena with dedicated actors and institutions. The manifesto also advocates for landscape justice through knowledge co production, urging transformative change and landscape based regional design to envision alternative futures. Additionally, it calls for regionalising coastal landscape governance and invites scholars from other transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives to contribute to this research agenda.