Indicators to assess viable entry points for implementing landscape approaches

Integrated landscape approaches are gaining momentum, but there is a lack of evidence on how to get started. Bringing multiple stakeholders together to negotiate trade-offs between conservation and development, as well as competing land uses, is an ambitious goal involving high transaction costs. There is a need to identify entry or leverage points for implementing landscape approaches and assess their potential. Although principles and criteria for landscape approaches are available, few studies provide concrete indicators to assess the viability of such entry points. This paper addresses this gap. Drawing on a systematic literature review and expert insights, we propose a set of indicators aligned with principles related to foundational conditions, stakeholder engagement, orientation toward landscape outcomes, negotiation processes, and learning, monitoring, and evaluation. These indicators can be used to assess the potential and limitations of landscape initiatives to evolve into full landscape approaches.