Forest Restoration

Several international commitments and pledging initiatives have stimulated FLR worldwide, which in total seeks to restore up to 350 M ha of degraded and deforested lands by 2030. The 2019 UN General Assembly resolution declares 2021-2030 as the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, thus encouraging member states to take action on all the aforementioned fronts, and invites involvement from marginalised groups, civil society, academia and the private sector.

FLR involves complex decisions which can depend on different objectives, restoration methods and forest types. These aspects vary across landscapes due to the socio-environmental context.

In the absence of tools and approaches to support strategic, tactical and operational decision-making, a substantial risk exists that FLR efforts on the ground will not achieve their objectives in cost-effective and sustainable ways. To compete with other important development challenges, FLR initiatives must be linked to the livelihood needs of local populations and the development of value chains that can generate positive economic returns in the long run.