Healthy landscapes for a resilient economy
Healthy landscapes are a foundation for resilient economies and communities. Explore how landscape restoration can strengthen that resilience and what it takes to make it work at scale.
09:00 - 14:00
What to expect?
Resilient economies depend on healthy ecosystems for water, fertile soils, climate regulation and protection against flooding, drought and other physical risks. When landscapes become less resilient, those risks increasingly affect companies, supply chains and communities.
At the same time, businesses, investors, environmental organisations and local authorities are looking for ways to restore nature and create lasting value. Turning ambition into action, however, requires more than individual projects: it calls for clear policies, appropriate financing and multi-stakeholder collaboration. The nature restoration efforts in the Schelde valley show it is possible!
You will leave this inspiration session with:
a clearer understanding of how healthy landscapes contribute to business and socio-economic resilience
concrete insights into the governance, financing and partnerships needed to restore landscapes at scale
an introduction to the 4 Returns Framework and how it connects natural, social, inspirational and financial value;
perspectives from business, policy, science and civil society, combined with a field visit to see landscape restoration on the ground.
The programme
Format: Inspiration session with keynote, framework introduction, panel discussion, audience exchange, field visit and networking.
| 09:00 | Welcome coffee & Registration | |
| 09:30 | Introduction & Scene-setting | |
| 09:45 | Keynote: Why resilient regions are no longer optional | Climate science perspective: what the summer of 2026 tells us about the economic consequences of ecosystem loss. |
| 10:10 | The 4 Returns Framework | How landscape restoration can simultaneously generate returns for nature, business, society and inspiration : a proven, investable model. |
| 10:35 | Panel Discussion: Building Resilient Regions | A structured debate on the business case for landscape restoration. What does resilience mean for companies in nature-dependent sectors ? What regulatory, financial and collaborative conditions are needed to scale up? |
| 11:30 | Q&A & Audience exchange | Open discussion with participants |
| 11:50 | Field Visit: Wetland restoration in the Schelde Valley | Guided visit to the Natuurpunt restoration site. A tangible illustration of what is possible when businesses, NGO’s and local authorities collaborate at landscape level. |
| 13:00 | Networking lunch & informal exchanges |
Who is this for?
This session is for professionals who can contribute to or depend on more resilient landscapes and regions.
Relevant for:
- business leaders and sustainability managers from The Shift’s network and the Biodiversity Shift Community of Practice;
- companies in sectors that depend directly or indirectly on land, water and healthy ecosystems;
- policymakers and public authorities working on nature, economy, spatial planning and regional development;
- financial institutions and investors interested in the conditions that can make landscape restoration investable;
- scientists and experts working on biodiversity, climate and ecosystem resilience;
- NGOs and practitioners involved in nature and landscape restoration.
No specialist biodiversity knowledge is required. The session is particularly relevant for participants who want to understand how collaboration between business, policy, finance, science and civil society can make restoration possible at landscape level.
Partners
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