As the world's forests rapidly disappear or become increasingly fragmented, conservation efforts have focused on establishing protected areas to conserve these key ecosystems and the diverse array of flora and fauna they support. Vital as protected areas are, conservationists and scientists have recently observed that they are not sufficient in themselves for conserving biodiversity.

In this context, the role of multifunctional landscape mosaics, especially those surrounding protected areas, has come increasingly into focus. These landscapes include everything from agricultural land, agroforests and settlements to the patches of remaining forest that dot the terrain. What shapes these mosaics are the activities of human beings, often in communities driven by the need to sustain their livelihoods in the face of poverty.

Toward developing an integrated strategy to address these complex and often conflicting ecological and social dynamics, 40 scientists from the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and affiliated organizations converged on the island of Lombok, Indonesia, in early December 2007.

The objective of the 4-day meeting was to finalize the guidelines for the Landscape Mosaics Project, which will research and develop ways to better integrate improved livelihoods and biodiversity conservation into land-use management in five countries: Cameroon, Indonesia, Laos, Madagascar and Tanzania. The Landscape Mosaics Project is the inaugural project of the Joint Biodiversity Platform, which was launched in 2006 by CIFOR and ICRAF in recognition of the role that multifunctional landscape mosaics have in preserving biodiversity, both within and beyond protected areas.

Tree cover in multifunctional landscape mosaics preserves important habitats and can play a crucial role in maintaining connectivity between large reserves, which has been demonstrated to be essential for the survival of many species. Human occupation and use of these landscapes, however, require that conservation efforts consider the social dimensions of the use and conservation of biodiversity, in addition to their biophysical dimensions and dynamics.

The Joint Biodiversity Platform draws on the wealth of experience and expertise at CIFOR and ICRAF. A collaborative approach enables the platform to bring together highly qualified multidisciplinary teams, drawing scientists from the natural and social sciences, as well as experts in geographic information systems and spatial analysis.

"All of us are influenced by our personal as well as our technical background, so we look at problems or research needs from different perspectives," said Jean-Laurent Pfund, CIFOR coordinator of both the platform and the Landscape Mosaics Project, following the Lombok meeting. "Global meetings such as this one generate lively discussions and innovative ideas, largely as a result of these varied perspectives."

Pfund added that the consensus at the Lombok meeting was to focus less on collecting standardized data for comparative research and place a stronger emphasis on impact-oriented research that explores more participatory ways of compiling information and supporting negotiations.

Four complementary project themes have been identified: biodiversity and livelihoods, landscape patterns, landscape governance, and rewards for biodiversity conservation. An information base addressing these themes will be developed with local communities and relevant government institutions to help them negotiate a common vision for the future that improves communities' well-being as well as their environment.