Like in any other part of the country, land degradation resulting from water erosion and nutrient depletion is one of the most challenging problems for farmers in the Central Rift Valley (CRV) of Ethiopia. Nevertheless, investments in land management to reduce land degradation and increase agricultural production by smallholder farmers have been limited. In addition, public and private sector organizations have never collaborated to stimulate (investments in) land improvement.

This book is about sustainable land management, the development of water buffers and the business case underneath it. It is part of the discussion on the green economy: investment in natural resource management makes business sense. This also applies for investment in land, water and vegetative cover. Some of the parameters may be different – returns may not always be immediate – but essentially both the financial payback and the economic dividend of investing in integrated landscapes – if done properly – are rewarding.

In zijn afscheidscollege stelt Jaarsma drie aspecten aan de orde, zoals hij die zelf, eerst als student en vanaf 1970 als docent heeft ervaren: de opeenvolgende onderwijs-programma’s voor de opleiding Cultuurtechniek – Landinrichtingswetenschappen – Landschapsarchitectuur & Ruimtelijke Planning aan de Landbouwhogeschool, de Landbouwuniversiteit en Wageningen Universiteit; het onderwijs rond verkeer, vervoer en infrastructuur in die jaren en de relatie tussen onderwijs en onderzoek daarbij, en de rol van afstudeervakken (scripties) en projecten derde geldstroom; en het andere onderwijs i

The state of Mato Grosso in Brasil faces environmental challenges since agricultural developments threaten biodiversity and other environmental values. The mission of the state university of Mato Grosso (UNEMAT) is to contribute to the knowledge needed for the sustainable development of the state. However, there is a need for academic capacity building. Collaboration with Wageningen University intends to improve the quality of the education and science especially concerning landscape ecological research.

The study focused on the nature and scale of public goods and services which land managers (farmers and foresters) currently provide. Using the available evidence on the range of environmental and man-made landscape services which multi-functional land management can offer, the report presents a series of mechanisms which could be used to deliver services not provided for by the market.

Dit rapport bevat een evaluatie van de rol van provincies bij de functiewijziging van landbouwgronden naar gronden met een functie natuur, als onderdeel van de omslag in het Natuurbeleid. Hierbij worden minder gronden voor natuur verworven voor beheer door terreinbeherende organisaties, en meer gronden door particulieren in beheer genomen. Via documentanalyse en interviews met provincies is geanalyseerd hoe ze deze omslag vormgeven en zijn conclusies getrokken over de kansrijkheid van de omslag.

This Tool Kit has been prepared to support the design and implementation of sustainable land management (SLM) programs.The specific purpose of the Tool Kit is: to inform the user of the approaches that can be followed to analyze and value the economic costs of land degradation and the benefits of sustainable land management. ‘Land’ is interpreted broadly in the Tool Kit, also including wetlands and coastal zones.

This thesis presents three case studies about private actors aspiring to realize their innovative ideas on land management and design in three different areas in the Netherlands. In appearance, these three areas are very different but they are all dynamic and are all located near cities. In size, the areas range from seventy to a few hundred hectares. Socially, they are highly dynamic as well, with various groups and organizations seeking either to make changes or to conserve what they value, and taking action to promote their ideas.