[Workshop] Tenure for Nature: Why Land Rights Matter in Biodiversity Governance
The session will highlight governance systems such as community forest management, collective water management, and incentive-based schemes reversing deforestation in South Asia; customary tribal tenure in arid mountain landscapes, where informal agreements underpin conservation in protected areas; and cadastral systems in the Alps, where historical boundaries shape biodiversity management. Perspectives from land systems research will connect these place-based cases, spanning different scales and timeframes, to broader debates on sustainability transitions. The workshop will also link these experiences to the international science-policy arena, examining how tenure security can be embedded in global frameworks and adaptation strategies.
Duration: 90 mins
Goals: (a) Show how secure land tenure enables biodiversity management; (b) Share cross-regional lessons from diverse upland contexts; (c) Co-develop strategies for integrating tenure into policy and practice.
Expected Outcomes: Participants will deepen understanding of tenure’s role in biodiversity, contribute to a synthesis brief with cross-regional insights, and co-create actionable recommendations for policy and program design. The workshop will also foster connections among researchers, community leaders, and policy actors for future collaboration.