The ‘5 Elements Scorecard’ is a simple and effective tool developed by the Landscape Finance Lab to get a high-level snapshot of a landscape’s implementation of, and performance against, the key indicators of the ‘5 Elements of Integrated Landscape Management’ (the process adopted by the 4 Returns Framework and the 1000 Landscapes for 1 Billion People initiative, amongst others, that offers a tested pathway for achieving holistic impacts at landscape scale).
The Scorecard is a particularly useful and powerful way to structure reflection and kick off planning and design of landscape approaches. First, it allows landscape partners to take stock of all the work that has already been done and that can be incorporated into a coherent landscape approach. It helps partners to understand that the work conducted to date can fit into a landscape approach and provides the foundation for future engagement, planning and action. In other words, landscape partners are not starting from scratch, which is encouraging.
On the other hand, it helps answer the question that invariably arises when engagement around landscape incubation commences: where do we start? By highlighting key indicators and milestones, the Scorecard will draw attention to potential gaps and priorities and can serve as a basis to plan and budget activities.
The 5 Elements Scorecard exercise is conducted and scored collaboratively by means of an informal interview between landscape leads at implementing organisations and members of the Landscape Finance Lab (though it would be possible for landscapes to use the Scorecard to self-assess). Questions are asked to ascertain the level of development and engagement with each of the main indicators for the 5 Elements (E1 - Landscape partnership; E2 - Shared Understanding; E3 - Vision and Planning; E4 - Taking Action; and E5 - Learning and Impact), and a score is given of 1 (not begun), 2 (in progress), 3 (well underway) or 4 (completed).
Sample 5 Elements Scorecard ©Landscape Finance Lab, 2023