Welcome to the online environment of the 4 Returns Guidebook! The 4 Returns Framework in Practice: A Guidebook for Holistic Landscape Restoration is an inspiring yet practical [online and print] book. The content of the book is the result of more than a decade of experience in restoring landscapes worldwide. The guidebook takes the reader through the complexity of long-term, large-scale holistic landscape restoration, providing clear insights into the ‘why, what, and how,’ of delivering inspirational, social, natural, and financial returns. Through both stories and practical resources, the guidebook aims to provide landscape practitioners with knowledge, tools and methods needed to restore degraded landscapes and seascapes worldwide.

Are you ready to accelerate your landscape restoration initiative, but don’t know where to start? Do you want to partner with local actors to contribute to a sustainable future for your landscape? Or would you like to learn how to communicate efficiently about your initiative to attract funding and decision-maker’s attention in policy?  The success of your landscape initiative is only one read away!

How to get started?

There are three ways to read and use the 4 Returns guidebook:

1. Online guidebook: Use this online environment guidebook to read the sections relevant to you. Jump straight to the recommended tools and methods, which can be found in the toolbox of this platform.
2. The 4 Returns Framework in Practice: A Guidebook for Holistic Landscape Restoration  is available in print. The book is not for sale. Are you a landscape practitioner, or is your organisation active in (educating on) landscape restoration? Are you also curious to learn more about holistic landscape restoration via the 4 Returns or help us share the Guidebook with more people? Please reach out to communications@commonland.com for further information.
3. Print (parts of) the book. You’ll be directed to the pdf download page by clicking on the button below.

Would you like to help us promote the guidebook? Find a toolkit with resources here.

Get in touch with the learning network!

The use of “we” in this guidebook refers to Commonland. However, the knowledge within it has been gained from the collective experiences of a global network of landscape restoration practitioners who have been testing and learning with the 4 Returns Framework. We see this as a collective achievement. Furthermore, the guidebook is enriched with the knowledge, tools, and methods developed in our partnership with Wetlands International and the Landscape Finance Lab.

As the number of people adopting the 4 Returns Framework is growing worldwide, so is our collective knowledge about this approach. This is the first time we have shared our insights in a guidebook and there will be opportunities for improvement in future versions. Please send your suggestions, questions, ideas, or other remarks, so that we can consider them for updates, to: info@commonland.com.

To join our collective effort to learn and make an impact in holistic landscape restoration, register on this 4 Returns platform or sign up for the newsletter!