The environmental advantages of intact landscapes are well recognized. Successful landscape restoration relies on finding the balance between growth and development needs and the imperative to preserve ecosystems and biodiversity.
Restoring landscapes helps reduce the pressures placed on our natural ecosystems through human activity and builds resilience to the impacts of climate change.
Agriculture and its expansion put significant pressure on natural ecosystems and can lead to ecosystem destruction. A major challenge is to maintain and safeguard provisions for human occupation as a component of implementing restorative measures.
Restoring rainforests requires drawing on experts from different fields, including the expertise of local facilitators, sociologists and economists to consider private-sector investment; resources; capacity development; local community involvement; and further research needs.
Questions:
- What options are available to countries and communities to restore landscapes, yet maintain economic growth?
- What successful approaches have been applied?
Background reading:
Mansourian, S. & Vallauri, D. 2013, ‘Restoring Forest Landscapes: Important Lessons Learnt’ Environmental Management, vol. 53, no, 2, pp. 241-251.
Martin, TG. & Watson, JEM. 2016. ‘Intact Ecosystems Provide Best Defence Against Climate Change’ Nature Climate Change, vol. 6, pp. 122-124.
Rey Benayas, JM. & Bullock, JM. 2012, ‘Restoration of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on Agricultural Land’ Ecosystems, vol. 15, no. 6, pp 883-998.
Sabogal, C. Besacier, C. & McGuire, D. 2015 ‘Forest and Landscape Restoration: Concepts, approaches and Challenges for implementation’ Unasylva, An international journal of forestry and forest industries, vol. 66, no. 245, pp 3-10.
