Our collective future depends upon our ability to restore the Earth: our common land. Commonland is a not-for-profit organisation that transforms degraded landscapes into thriving ecosystems, communities and local economies by connecting landscape stakeholders and providing a guiding approach to landscape restoration - the 4 Returns framework. Equipped with the right tools and approach, we can transform a landscape in one generation – 20 years.
Commonland is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to restoring degraded landscapes and regenerating the Earth—our common land. Established in 2013, Commonland collaborates with a diverse range of partners in over 20 countries to facilitate holistic landscape restoration on a global scale. Their mission is to make holistic landscape restoration the new norm and restore 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2040.
At the heart of Commonland's approach is the 4 Returns framework, a practical, holistic method that delivers returns to all landscape stakeholders: people, nature, communities, and businesses. This framework focuses on four key returns:
1. Return of Inspiration: Planting seeds of hope for a better future and giving people a sense of purpose.
2. Social Return: Bringing back jobs, education, and social connections—the building blocks of thriving communities.
3. Natural Return: Restoring biodiversity for healthy and resilient landscapes.
4. Financial Return: Creating long-term, sustainable income for communities through new business models tailored to each landscape.
Commonland facilitates landscape restoration from the ground up, working with farmers, business owners, policymakers, NGOs, and other stakeholders to protect and restore landscapes worldwide. They also build a global movement to accelerate holistic landscape restoration via the 4 Returns framework.
You can support Commonland's mission in several ways:
Donate or Invest: Funding Commonland’s work means investing in our common future. They work with public and philanthropic funders and investors to offer local partners access to funding opportunities.
Partner with Commonland: They build long-term partnerships with a diverse range of partners from the local to the global level, to implement and scale holistic landscape restoration and protect our home planet.
Join the Learning Network: Connect with others working in landscape restoration worldwide through the 4 Returns learning network, accessing opportunities to learn from peers and qualified experts.
Explore Policy Work: Collaborate with policymakers to drive forward integrated, multi-level policy frameworks that support holistic landscape restoration.
By engaging with Commonland, you contribute to creating thriving ecosystems, economies, and communities, securing a brighter future for everyone on planet Earth.