Conversion of natural habitats to intensive land-uses has resulted in fragmentation and loss of biodiversity. Therefore, there is a need to assess the ability of managed landscapes to sustain biodiversity. My research, conducted in the tea-forest landscape of Darjeeling Himalayas, was to assess the ability of managed landscapes to support biodiversity and human well-being. I begin with a review of accessible peer-reviewed and non-academic grey literature. I present a comprehensive yet broad overview of tea cultivation practices globally. I found that tea plantations can become complimentary spaces for conservation outside protected areas via adoption of traditional practices or incorporating organic farming, native shade trees, and maintaining habitat diversity within monocultures.

My biodiversity analysis revealed that season, and tree richness are important predictor variables for soil arthropod diversity. The proportion of tea monoculture negatively influenced bird species diversity, insectivore diversity, forest specialist richness and winter migrant richness however has a positive influence on ground feeding bird richness and abundance. Other features such as water bodies, vegetation richness and abundance, high landscape heterogeneity seems to add advantage to sensitive birds.

My assessment of ecosystem services and human well-being was assessed in terms of the capabilities approach. I demonstrate that a) ecosystem services are accessible differentially based on ecosystem condition and the opportunities and freedoms available to the people dependent on them and b) well-being is an outcome of large-scale climatic uncertainties, local scale ecosystem condition and management decisions that influence the flow of ecosystem goods and services. When conditions are protected by management policies, access to ecosystem services through tenurial security or certification, and by decisions that enrich the farmlands for biodiversity support, it creates opportunities for well-being.