Effective land restoration depends on a holistic understanding of past environmental conditions and the social–ecological transformations that shape present landscapes. Situated within ongoing restoration efforts in northeastern Madagascar, this study draws on intergenerational knowledge from farming communities surrounding Ambanitaza, a sacred mountain, to examine perceptions of historical and contemporary drivers of landscape change. Centering community-narrated land histories challenges dominant interpretations of environmental degradation and reveals locally specific drivers often overlooked in external assessments. Using a transdisciplinary approach that integrates focus groups, interviews, archival sources, and satellite analyses, the study identifies five interrelated themes with broader relevance for tropical and Global South landscape transformations: (1) Settlement histories and land claims—migration, community diversity, and lands in common; (2) Relationships to land—sacred spaces, traditions, and stewardship; (3) Drivers of forest loss—resource use and colonial legacies; (4) Climate disturbances—cyclones, fire, and co-occurring feedbacks; and (5) Biocultural values and landscape recovery—loss, memory, and renewal. The discussion interprets these community-based insights as foundational understandings to support biocultural restoration, by confronting dominant narratives that oversimplify land-use change and highlighting the complex interplay of historical, ecological, and ethical relationships that shape human–land interactions. Finally, it reflects on how enduring relationships to land sustain resilience and how emerging climate-driven disturbances might be addressed through community-grounded, reparative approaches to restoration.