Considering land use complexity and overlap is critical for sustainability planning

Land use is both a driver and a lever to address sustainability challenges like biodiversity loss, climate change, and food security. Yet, it is often oversimplified in sustainability planning, ignoring the diversity of actors or the multiple claims on land. We developed an approach to capture the complex and contested nature of land use by mapping it as social-ecological systems that can overlap in space. Demonstrating our approach for the Dry Chaco and Chiquitano forests in South America revealed three main insights. First, we mapped actors that are typically overlooked, such as forest-dwelling smallholders. Second, substantial land use overlap, particularly between smallholders and agribusinesses, signals land competition that risks marginalizing smallholders. Third, our maps showed conservation areas overlapping with other land systems, highlighting opportunities for co-benefits but also competition. Overall, our transferable approach captures land use complexity and visualizes often overlooked actors, thereby potentially contributing to more just and effective sustainability planning.

Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido

Fil: Pratzer, Marie. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Geography Department; Alemania

Fil: Pratzer, Marie. Humboldt-University Berlin. Integrative Research Institute on Transformations in Human-Environment Systems; Alemania

Fil: Maillard, Oswaldo. Fundación para la Conservación del Bosque Chiquitano; Bolivia

Fil: Baldi, Germán. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Instituto de Matemática Aplicada San Luis; Argentina

Fil: Baldi, Germán. Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Matemática Aplicada San Luis; Argentina

Fil: Baumann, Matthias. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Geography Department; Alemania

Fil: Burton, Jamie. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Geography Department; Alemania

Fil: Burton, Jamie. Humboldt-University Berlin. Integrative Research Institute on Transformations in Human-Environment Systems; Alemania

Fil: Fernandez, Pedro David. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Geography Department; Alemania

Fil: Fernandez, Pedro David. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido; Argentina

Fil: Levers, Christian. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Geography Department; Alemania

Fil: Levers, Christian. Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries. Thünen Institute of Biodiversity. Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute; Alemania

Fil: Meyfroidt, Patrick. Université Catholique de Louvain. Earth and Life Institute. Georges Lemaître Centre for Earth and Climate Research; Bélgica

Fil: Meyfroidt, Patrick. Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique; Bélgica

Fil: Tasquer, Macarena. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Geography Department; Alemania

Fil: Vallejos, María. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Geography Department; Alemania

Fil: Vallejos, María. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; Argentina.

Fil: Vallejos, María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; Argentina

Fil: Vallejos, María. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos y Sistemas de Información; Argentina.

Fil: Kuemmerle, Tobias. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Geography Department; Alemania

Fil: Kuemmerle, Tobias. Humboldt-University Berlin. Integrative Research Institute on Transformations in Human-Environment Systems; Alemania