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September 1, 20234 Returns Framework: What it is & Why We Need it for Landscape Restoration
A group hike along a rive stream at the Poomaale Collective
Investments. The sooner you start the better returns you get. Something that’s been ingrained in our minds deep enough for us to plan out our entire lives into yearly plans and financial goals. Planning for the future is what we at Beforest believe in too, and we envision it with a lot more than retirement funds or a saving up for a series of short-lived delights.
Future-proofing does not only mean having a sound financial status. The more underexplored paths towards a holistic and sustainable cycle of investments and returns are waiting to be approached. Among the rising issues concerning the health of the planet, there is a global tilt towards environmental action. Many big companies have stressed the need for sustainable models and are trying to prioritising investing in people, environment and innovation, without losing profits. There is a rising need for frameworks that break the conventional cycle of judging returns on the basis of economies, and equally account for the ecologies we live in.
In an attempt to manifest a holistic framework where all the elements of the planet benefit mutually, Commonland has worked towards a 4 Returns Framework – a guide towards extensive sustainable development that Beforest has embraced for its undeniable merits.
What is the 4 Returns Framework?
It is a practical, tested system-change framework that delivers inspirational, social, natural and financial returns. This framework by Commonland was developed by a team effort of leading organisations that have been working in the landscape management and restoration sector for over 3 decades. The purpose of developing this framework was to create a common language and reduce complexity in efforts towards landscape restoration for the benefit of biodiversity, people and climate. It can be adopted by any organisation working towards landscape restoration at scale.
Numerous case studies of its implementation across the globe can be found in the report The 4 Returns Framework for Landscape Restoration and on the official website of Commonland, which serve as insightful guides for novice ventures working towards sustainable development.
The framework lays emphasis on stakeholder collaboration throughout the implementation stages and finding a balance between typical top-down and integrated bottom-up approaches to build landscape resilience. The implementation process asks for a diverse range of capital investments, such as local communities, natural resources, deep-rooted cultures, traditional wisdom, pre-existing biodiversity, leadership from sector experts and direct monetary investments from individuals or groups. An eco-conscious, systemic application of these investments is aimed at delivering a holistic set of returns for all landscape stakeholders.
Inspirational Returns – the emergence of a greater purpose and constant innovation.
Social Returns – new employment opportunities, skill development, growing & strengthening networks, increased collaborations, positively impacted communities and more.
Natural Returns – water availability, carbon sequestration, prevention of erosion, improved soil & air quality, thriving biodiversity and more.
Financial Returns – monetary returns from land appreciation, revenue from farm produce or value-added products, hospitality & tourism initiatives, etc.
Why Adopting the 4 Returns Framework is Essential Today
The framework is pivotal for achieving comprehensive and unfragmented sustainable development today. It stands out for its multifaceted approach to land and ecosystem restoration, addressing several pressing challenges simultaneously. It promotes a well-rounded vision of sustainability, recognizing that economic prosperity must coexist harmoniously with social well-being, ecological health, and human spirit.
Community engagement is central to this framework, ensuring that sustainable development benefits everyone equitably. By involving local communities in restoration efforts, it nurtures a sense of ownership, preserving both natural resources and cultural heritage. In addition, economic viability is not overlooked; it’s integral. The framework also aims to instill inspiration and education, emphasizing the need for a deeper connection between people and nature. Inspiring individuals and communities to value and protect the environment is fundamental to fostering a culture of sustainability.
Scalability is one the main reasons the framework works today. It is adaptable to diverse contexts, from small-scale community projects to large-scale landscape restoration. This adaptability is essential for tackling sustainability challenges at various levels. The framework also aligns seamlessly with global sustainability goals, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It offers a practical approach that integrates economic, social, and environmental objectives to achieve these crucial global targets.
Lastly, it promotes a long-term vision in a world plagued by short-term thinking. In an era demanding foresight, this perspective is invaluable for ensuring sustainable development that benefits both current and future generations.
How Beforest is Integrating the 4 Returns Framework for Landscape Restoration
The ‘Collective’ Model
Beforest’s definition of a ‘collective’ is when a group of individuals come together with a single objective. That objective is to live sustainably on a single, large, expansive landscape. The model was formed from a need to reconnect with nature and combat larger environmental crises such as deforestation, environmental deterioration and biodiversity loss, along with the quest to simplify the challenges that came with individual, fragmented farming initiatives.
Through the “Collective” model, we continuously work to create something innovative in the farming, restoration & conservation spaces to make the landscapes food, water and power secure over a realistic timeline. The collective is formed from the crowd-funding of members who envision a forest-friendly future in the landscapes, with a group of different stakeholders who come together with the single goal of creating impact at scale with its permaculture-based approach and positive environmental interventions. At the collective, we deploy water management systems, build soil health and create ecological zones resulting in multiple microclimates that aid in the growth of a ‘food forest’ to meet the everyday needs of the community reliant on that landscape. The collective model itself is our biggest channel for social capital and returns.
To ensure impact and drive inspirational and natural returns to all stakeholders, every Beforest Collective follows a list of essentials.
100+ acre Landscapes – Access diverse natural features to channel impact at scale.
Eco-sensitive Zoning – Dividing the landscape into natural, economic & mixed zones to streamline ecosystem activities on the landscape.
Construction Footprint up to 15% – Minimising human impact and encouraging interaction with nature.
Farming, Conservation & Restoration – Reversing the impact of decades of land degradation & deforestation through permaculture farming techniques & biodiversity conservation.
Collective Ownership – Driving the growth from the support of a member-led community.
Zoning of Landscapes
Closely following the zoning framework set by Commonland, every Beforest collective is divided into 3 zones based on the preliminary physical land surveys, topography, geology & hydrology studies and drone imagery. These zones are Wilderness Zone, Economic Zone and Combined Zone. Housing clusters and cultivation patches are designed in accordance with the economic & combined zones. The wilderness & combined zones account for the watershed, lakes, springs and other ecosystem services that are necessary to build and preserve our natural capital.
These zones are planned to deliver natural and financial returns to all the stakeholders of a collective through a combination of conservation, farming, and hospitality efforts
Stakeholder Collaboration
Team Beforest – Our team consists of ecological designers, farm planners & operators, estate managers, designers, and finance & business development professionals who work full-time towards the growth of the Collectives.
Members – Drive the birth of a Collective by investing in the landscape monetarily (buying a portion of the collectively-owned landscape) and leading its growth from the get-go.
Collaborators & Consultants – We collaborate with various sector experts in sustainable architecture, permaculture design, and social and natural engineering.
Locals – We work with locals and imbibe their indigenous skills & wisdom for the growth of the landscapes. We have been partnering with small businesses & suppliers for mutual support & benefit.
Government bodies – As our work is deeply context-driven, we work closely with the respective government bodies pertaining to the location, like the district authorities and forest department, for the necessary developmental approvals like land registration, road access, housing, etc.
Long-term Project Implementation
This is a long-term process with several layers of multidisciplinary planning & execution. The kind of generational transformation we aim to bring requires large amounts of valuable resources such as time, money, labour and much more, and we are committed to giving it our all. Our focus lies on growing sustainable landscapes, and we are keen on collaborating with people who are also in it for the long run – be it the collective members, our team or our consultants. We are committed to building and working on the landscape forever to make it a place that gives us all we need – mainly food, water & power – and improving its economic viability year on year.
At Beforest, we are investing in our natural world, so that it can provide us with our basic necessities while filling us with inspiration with each step into the forest. We are investing in building communities and relationships at each of our collectives – people who we live with, work with, and ultimately share our lives with. We are investing in landscapes to transform them into models of self-sustainability in all aspects.
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