Dead planet, living planet

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Increased and higher quality habitats for animals and plants;
A secure and high-quality supply of water;
Prevention and reduction of land degradation;
A secure source of biomass and biofuel energy;
Environmentally sound and socially acceptable carbon se-
questration;
Adequate and sustainable income and employment oppor-
tunities for rural communities;
Sustainable source of timber for forest industries and local
communities;
Sound return on investment for forestry investors;
Increased resilience and resistance to climate change;
Additional sources of non-timber forest products such as
medicinal plants and marketable goods;
Recreation and tourism opportunities;
Increased property values near restored areas;
Enhanced economic and environmental security and miti-
gation of risk form global economic and environmental
change.
Source: Global Partnership on Forest Landscape Restoration (GPFLR),
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Some of the benefits of forest restoration
Extensive and ongoing deforestation during the past fifty years
has lead to loss of biodiversity and decline in the goods and
services for rural people (TEEB, 2008). Forests provide an array
of benefits, from clean water, regulation of climate and biodi-
versity protection to sources of income, fuel and food (Kaimow-
itz, 2003; Chazdon, 2008). An estimated 1.6 billion people in
the world rely heavily on forest resources for their livelihoods
(WRI, 2005; Chomitz, 2007). They range from multinational
companies to rural farmers. In a time of widespread global
poverty, increasing population and degraded ecosystems, these
benefits are increasingly important. However, the ability of
forests to deliver the economic, environmental and social ben-
efits we all need to survive and prosper is serious under threat
(Chomitz, 2007). Intensive exploitation coupled with the rapid
A FOCUS ON FORESTS
growth of population, consumption patterns, development of
agriculture, urban construction and other related disturbances
as well as improper forest management, have resulted in large
and expanding areas of degraded forest ecosystems (Wenhua,
2004, TEEB, 2008). This trend can be reversed through resto-
ration and rehabilitation forests of degraded forest ecosystems.
In both developed and developing countries, assisted restora-
tion and unassisted forest regeneration are gaining momentum
(Sayer et al, 2004; Chazdon, 2008). Forests are being restored
for many purposes in many ways and at increasing rates by lo-
cal communities, non-governmental organisations and private
agencies, as well as through state and national programmes.
The projects and programmes have differed in scale, objectives,
Figure 6: The restoration staircase.
Stairway to restoration
1
1
2
2
3
3
Depending on the state of degradation of an ecosystem, a range of
management approaches can at least partially restore levels of
biodiversity and ecosystem services given adequate time (years) and
financial investment (capital, infrastructure and labour). Outcomes of
particular restoration approaches are:
restoration of soil fertility for supporting ecosystems;
production of some products such as timber; or
recovery of biodiversity and ecosystem services
Source: adapted from Chazdon et al., Beyond Deforestation: Restoring Forests
and Ecosystem Services on Degraded Lands , Science 2008
High
Biodiversity
and
ecosystem
services
Reclamation
Rehabilitation
Commercial restoration
Restoration with
native species
Assigned
natural
regeneration
Natural
regeneration
Time
and
costs
State of degradation
Low
Low
Low
High
High
Sta rway to restoration
1
1
2
2
3
3
Depending on the state of degradation of an ecosystem, a range of
management approaches can at least partially restore levels of
biodiversity and ecosystem services given adequate time (years) and
financial investment (capital, infrastructure and labour). Outcomes of
particular restoration approaches are:
restoration of soil fertility for supporting ecosystems;
producti f some products such as timber; or
recovery of biodiversity and ecosystem services
Source: adapted from Chazdon et al., Beyond Deforestation: Restoring Forests
and Ecosystem Services on Degraded Lands , Science 2008
High
Biodiversity
and
ecosystem
services
Reclamation
Rehabilitation
Commercial restoration
Restoration with
native species
Assigned
natural
regeneration
Natural
regeneration
Time
and
costs
State of degradation
Low
Low
Low
High
High
Stair ay to restoration
1
1
2
2
3
3
Depending on the state of degradation of an ecosystem, a range of
management approaches can at least partially restore levels of
biodiversity and ecosystem services given adequate time (years) and
financial investment (capital, infrastructure and lab ur). Outcomes of
particular restoration approaches are:
restoration of soil fertility for supporting ecosystems;
production of some products such as timber; or
recovery of biodiversity and ecosystem services
Sourc : adapted from Chazdon et al., Beyond Deforestation: Restoring Forests
and Ecosystem Services on Degraded Lands , Science 2008
High
Biodiversity
and
ecosystem
services
Reclamation
Rehabilitation
Commercial restoration
Restoration with
native species
Assigned
natural
regeneration
Natural
regeneration
Time
and
costs
State of degradation
Low
Low
Low
High
High
Stairway to restoration
1
1
2
2
3
3
Depending on the state of degradation of an ecosystem, a range of
management approaches can t least partially re tore levels of
biodiversity and ecosystem services given dequa e time (years) and
financial nvestm nt (capital, infrastructure and labour). Outcomes of
particular restoration approaches a e:
restoration of soil fertility for supporting ecosystems;
productio f m products such as timber; or
covery of biodiversity and ecosys em services
Source: adapted from Chazdon et al., Beyond Deforestation: Restoring Forests
and Ecosystem Services on Degraded Lands , Science 2008
High
Biodiversity
and
ecosystem
servic s
Reclamation
Rehabilitation
Commercial restoration
Restoration with
native species
Assigned
natural
regeneration
Natural
regeneration
Time
and
costs
State of degradation
Low
Low
Low
High
High