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Forest Restoration within a Landscape/Ecoregion Context. Jeffrey Sayer and Mark Aldrich WWF Forests for Life Programme Hämeenlinna, Finland 6 th October 2004. Forest Landscape Restoration in Central and Northern Europe. Introduction: Where are we with FLR?.
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Forest Restoration within a Landscape/Ecoregion Context Jeffrey Sayer and Mark Aldrich WWF Forests for Life Programme Hämeenlinna, Finland 6th October 2004 Forest Landscape Restoration in Central and Northern Europe
Introduction: Where are we with FLR? • For WWF, forest landscape restoration means implementing forest restoration within a landscape context - i.e. to complement our core targets for protected areas and improved forest management… • …versus restoring forest cover across a whole landscape • ...versus large scale reforestation projects
Progress to date Restoration Initiatives underway in: • Annamite Range Moist Forests – Vietnam • Borneo Forests – Kinabatangan, Malaysia • Forests of the Upper Yangtze – China • New Caledonia Dry Forests • Nusa Tenggara Dry Forest – Rinjani, Indonesia • Eastern Africa Coastal Forest – Kenya and Tanzania • Madagascar Forests and Shrublands • Mediterranean Forests/Woodlands - Portugal and Morocco • Danube River delta - Bulgaria(/Romania) • Plus those in LAC….
What entry points or initial interventions are we using ? • Policy changes that can promote natural regeneration or near-natural forest management • Stakeholder negotiations at a landscape scale to guide restoration • Development and dissemination of technical expertise to facilitate restoration • Small scale strategic tree-planting or agroforestry to restore tree cover – e.g. to improve connectivity between patches of intact forest and/or protected areas
WWF's Forest Restoration target (May 2004) is: By 2020, restore forest goods, services and processes in 20 landscapes of outstanding importance within priority ecoregions to regain ecological integrity and enhance human wellbeing.
Forest Restoration Milestones (2005 – 2007) • By 2007, 20 detailed landscape restoration programs with clear biodiversity and socio-economic goals are integrated within ecoregion action plans. • By 2005, develop and pilot a tracking tool that measures improvements in landscape values through protection, management and restoration. • Multi-year funding secured and demonstrable progress achieved on Forest Landscape Restoration in at least 5 landscapes by 2007
Tracking Tool: Landscape Values • You cannot manage what you cannot measure • Forcing clearer thinking on "landscapes" • Most M&E systems emphasise project inputs and outputs or process - not "state“ or “condition” of the resource • Simplicity seems to be essential for adoption
Tracking Tool: Landscape Values For Rinjani in Indonesia we propose annual measures of: • Total forest extent • Areas of community forests • Change in Village Development Index • Water discharge from catchment • Amount of environmental service payments
Some issues for Northern and central Europe • CAP Reform = Payment for Environmental Services • Multi-functional landscapes
For European Biodiversity too much forest is more often a problem than too little • Lynx in Iberia – Orchids in Mediterranean grasslands • Water birds on Scottish moorlands
How can we help? • Providing technical advice and support on restoration techniques, ongoing preparation of a manual on Forest Restoration – working draft on WWF Connect at: http://intranet.panda.org/documents/folder.cfm?uFolderID=52081 • Targeted advocacy/research activities aimed at influencing changes in reforestation/restoration policies; • Developing a monitoring and learning platform, and support to regular exchange of experiences between restoration initiatives • www.panda.org
Some lessons learned • Clear objectives – realistic attainable goals • Field interventions focussed but within landscape vision • If you can’t measure it you cannot manage it – tracking tool • Understand the “system” be part of policy narrative • Realism about participatory processes – tyranny of special interest groups • Strategic partnerships needed – we do not have all the skills • You cannot plan FLR – it’s a constant process of learning and adaptation – you need short feedback loops • External drivers important – climate change and WTO
Pre-conditions • Better institutional arrangements at the scale of the “problem” or the “opportunity” • New roles for private and public sectors • Decentralisation and subsidiarity • Clarity about property rights • Mechanisms for environmental payments