Interview with Maria José Roxo

Valuing Land Beyond Economic Production: An Interview with Prof. Maria José Roxo

Recently, the Portuguese journal Voz do Campo published a thought-provoking article on the importance of valuing land beyond its agricultural and forestry production capacity (read the article here).

One of the article’s authors, Prof. Maria José Roxo, is a senior researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA) and a distinguished professor in the Department of Geography and Regional Planning at NOVA University of Lisbon. Her work focuses on pressing issues such as desertification, climate change, and natural disasters, and she has served as a member of Portugal’s National Commission for Combating Desertification under the UNCCD.

Given the growing relevance of these topics in the context of global environmental change, we spoke with Prof. Roxo to explore her perspectives on land value, sustainability, and the future of dryland regions. The following conversation sheds light on decades of research and experience dedicated to understanding and protecting fragile landscapes.

What motivated you to study the value of land beyond agriculture, forestry, and economic productivity?

From a very young age, I spent my holidays in the central interior of Portugal with my maternal grandmother, who was a humble woman and produced her own food. She taught me to respect nature and understand what soil was, how it could be improved, and its relationship with water and the rhythm of crops. Later, as a physical geographer (geomorphology), I realised that soil was a resource that was treated without much attention, but that it was crucial in the dynamics of slopes and the evolution of landforms. Everything made more sense when I was introduced to the Vale Formoso Soil Erosion Experimental Centre (Municipality of Mértola / Left Bank of the Guadiana River / Southern Portugal) and its database, used for the development of projects on desertification, such as Medalus and Desertlinks, among others.

Can you share an example from Portugal or Europe where protecting nature has brought long-term benefits to local communities?

There are scattered examples in Portugal and Europe, but the results are very difficult to assess. These examples involve landowners who have decided to promote quality products based on organic or conservation agriculture. A platform should be set up to bring together all these success stories, and a more local assessment should be carried out to get a sense of the true impact.

How can we measure the environmental benefits provided by landscapes, such as water protection, healthy soils, or biodiversity?

I think it can be measured in terms of ecosystem health. That is another important step. Having healthy ecosystems implies the other three elements: healthy soils, water, and biodiversity. The landscape itself reveals this harmony. It contributes to human well-being. We have many tools that allow us to monitor the state of an ecosystem and help improve it. To do this, we need Ecosystem Services to be a reality and, at the same time, to promote literacy about the dynamics of Nature (soil, water, vegetation).

How can we fairly recognise and support lands that may be less economically productive yet essential for nature and climate resilience, and which policies or tools can help integrate their ecosystem services into land-use decisions?

Firstly, we need to promote a shift in thinking. All land has value, even land that is degraded and in the process of recovery. Vegetation sequesters carbon, as does soil. Any increase in organic matter content is an asset, even if the process is slow. As I mentioned earlier, payment for ecosystem services must become a reality. Marginal lands can be carbon sinks and promote biodiversity and water capture to feed aquifers. We need to foster territorial resilience based on adaptive planning. We need to value endogenous resources, such as Mediterranean aromatic plants, which have economic value and are excellent for bees and other pollinating insects. The future lies in mosaic landscapes that are resilient and economically complementary.

What role can mechanisms like the Voluntary Carbon Market play in improving both ecosystem health and local livelihoods?

It can be an important mechanism, but it is important that farmers understand its importance, as well as decision-makers. However, without transparency, ethics and social justice, it will be yet another good solution that will result in disaster.

How can valuing ecosystem services create new opportunities for farmers and rural communities, especially in areas facing climate challenges?

The assessment must be based on sound diagnostics. It is important to consider what can be improved in terms of land use on a property and to take into account the starting point. Other key aspects are the geographical characteristics of each area. People need to be aware of its role in mitigating climate change and how important they are to nature conservation, such as forests or scrubland. Adapting their behaviour to climate change is obvious, but it needs to be better explained. Both ecosystem services and more rational and sustainable management of natural resources require a transition in behaviour, reduced consumption and a change in mindset. Nature must be respected and its rhythms understood. We need to produce food, but on a property, depending on its size, there can be more sustainable planning and management, based on the application of soil and water conservation measures.

What are the biggest challenges in your perception in making the value of ecosystem services visible and widely accepted?

The biggest challenge is in urban areas. People who live in cities need to realise that cities are ‘consumers’ of resources and that rural areas produce them. When there is a fire (increasing in number, extent and intensity), it is not only the affected populations who suffer, but all of us, and in particular the cities that drink the water produced in these forest areas. This systemic view is fundamental. Nature is increasingly absent from urban environments and people are not concerned about the origin of products, but only whether they exist or not. It is important to increase literacy at all levels. For farmers, it is important to see success stories of good agricultural management.

What change would you most like to see in how we value land and its role in our future?

The conservation of soil health or its improvement should be monitored and financially compensated, considering all the benefits it can bring to ecosystems and human beings. Ecosystem services are a good start, but it is important to continue promoting nature conservation. This point is fundamental for the future. I would say less regulations and directives and more action.

Additional background:

Prof. Roxo is also the Scientific Director of the Vale Formoso/Mértola Experimental Erosion Centre and received the Dryland Champions Award (2013) from the United Nations/UNCCD and Portugal’s Ministry of Agriculture, Sea, Environment, and Spatial Planning. Over her career, she has contributed to more than 150 invited conference papers and authored over 90 scientific publications.