Pfeifer, MarionSallu, Susannah M.Marshall, Andrew R.Rushton, StephenMoore, EleanorShirima, Deo D.Smit, JosephineKioko, EstherBarnes, LaurenWaite, CatherineRaes, LeanderBraunholtz, LauraOlivier, Pieter IgnatiusIshengoma, EvodiusBowers, SamGuerreiro-Milheiras, Sergio2024-03-132024-03-132023-01Pfeifer, M., Sallu, S.M., Marshall, A.R et al. 2023 A systems approach framework for evaluating tree restoration interventions for social and ecological outcomes in rural tropical landscapes. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences 378: 20210111. https://DOI.org/10.1098/rstb.2021.0111.0962-8436 (print)1471-2970 (online)10.1098/rstb.2021.0111http://hdl.handle.net/2263/95170DATA ACCESSIBILITY : The data S1–S9 can be found online in the electronic supplementary material [92].The science guiding design and evaluation of restoration interventions in tropical landscapes is dominated by ecological processes and outcomes and lacks indicators and methods that integrate human wellbeing into the restoration process. We apply a new systems approach framework for tree restoration in forest-agricultural landscapes to showhowthis shortcoming can be addressed. Demonstrating ‘proof of concept’, we tested statistical models underlying the framework pathways with data collected from a case study in Tanzania. Local community perceptions of nature’s values were not affected by levels of self-reported wildlife-induced crop damage. But mapped predictions from the systems approach under a tree restoration scenario suggested differential outcomes for biodiversity indicators and altered spatial patterns of crop damage risk, expected to jeopardize human wellbeing. The predictions map anticipated trade-offs in costs and benefits of restoration scenarios, which we have started to explore with stakeholders to identify restoration opportunities that consider local knowledge, value systems and human wellbeing. We suggest that the framework be applied to other landscapes to identify commonalities and differences in forest landscape restoration outcomes under varying governance and land use systems. This should form a foundation for evidence-based implementation of the global drive for forest landscape restoration, at local scales. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Understanding forest landscape restoration: reinforcing scientific foundations for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’.en© 2022 The Authors. Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.Ecosystem servicesEcosystem disservicesPredictive modellingSystems modellingForest landscape restorationCoupled human and natural systemsSDG-15: Life on landArticle