First North America Landscape Finance Forum explores innovative models for investments

 2 October 2019, Chicago, Illinois - The North America Landscape Finance Forum (NALFF) explored integrated landscape investment models in the U.S. and Canada, where some of the most innovative initiatives are taking place. The goals of the full-day forum was to better understand the key elements of integrated landscape investments, share knowledge among innovators, and explore collaborative actions that could further build and scale up these models. The Forum was organized by EcoAgriculture Partners, FAO, Solutions from the Land, The Atkinson Center of Cornell University, Living Economy, and the Coalition for Private Investment in Conservation.

The day featured presentations of current models of integrated landscape investment, reflections on those models from a wide range of stakeholders from the finance, government, and agricultural sectors, and a discussion of next steps for the field of integrated landscape investment in the North America. Next steps that were identified include developing a deeper understanding how investment vehicles and support service entities operate; analyzing the financial benefits of investing within a landscape context; and creating standardized metrics to evaluate impacts from landscape investments.

In the coming months, this group will work together to chart the path forward to support integrated landscape investment in North America and beyond. “The energy in the room and the lively discussions that followed each presentations showed that there is a great interest in finding creative ways to finance integrated investment strategies undertaken at local communities,” said Gabriel Laizer, FAO Partnership and Outreach Coordinator who attended the Forum. “By working with diverse partners, this challenge can be achieved,” he added.

Integrated landscape management refers to locally led partnerships that empower land managers and other members of local communities and municipalities to plan their own futures. In many cases, these partnerships are thriving but they face daunting challenges of financing their integrated investment strategies. They require innovative landscape investment models that link multiple landscape objectives with an array of public, private and civic investments to achieve synergies and impacts at scale. The models are beginning to take shape, but most are still fairly new. These models take various forms, such as landscape-based investment funds, landscape development companies, and regional business accelerator platforms. Some the in the U.S. and Canada. By working collaboratively at the landscape scale, they are finding creative ways to overcome barriers and manage their shared spaces to regenerate their resources, economies, and communities.

 Read more: Integrated Landscape Management