Multifunctional landscapes in the UK: tools for policy and practice

Ensuring food supply meets future demand will require transdisciplinary thinking to develop robust new policies, steer behavioural change and encourage the development and uptake of innovative technological solutions. The multifunctional landscapes (MFL) approach recognises that, in addition to food, UK landscapes provide a range of natural resource provisions and ecosystem services. In the absence of MFL thinking, increasing the provision of one ecosystem service can come at the expense of others. An MFL approach could ensure that decisions are made to sustainably manage multiple ecosystem functions and services, so that their provision is optimised.

There will be challenges in adopting an MFL approach to managing UK land-use systems. These range from defining the appropriate scale of an MFL, through to engaging with local communities. This report explores these challenges and highlights the tools and approaches relevant to MFL implementation and management. It concludes with a series of considerations on the best ways to support development of the MFL approach in the UK.