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A three-pronged approach to restoration


To help forest landscape restoration (FLR) practitioners get in gear for the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), CIFOR released three key publications in 2019. A new diagnostic tool for collaborative monitoring provides a systematic way for FLR planners to assess their restoration initiatives against a checklist of success factors. An analysis identifies four key components of an effective approach to capacity development, which is critical for implementing and scaling-up FLR. And the International Principles and Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration, Second Edition are comprehensive guidelines that aim to serve as a blueprint for effective ecological restoration.

A coalition for African landscape restoration

AFR100, an initiative to restore 100 million ha of land in Africa, added CIFOR to its list of international technical advisors, citing its contributions to sustainable forest landscapes, human well-being, and forest management and restoration in Africa.

These guidelines will increase credibility, transparency and stakeholder trust in restoration activities. Donors, public agencies and investors will find guidance to increase cost effectiveness and reduce risk.

Manuel Guariguata

CIFOR Principal Scientist

Forests in a
time of crises

CIFOR ANNUAL REPORT 2019

In 2019, the world witnessed some of our greatest challenges shift gears from urgent to emergency – from climate crisis to landscape degradation to the wildfires that devastated ecosystems across several continents. But it also saw momentum build with the announcement of the UN Decade of Ecological Restoration, a focus on nature-based solutions, and the recognition of local forest communities and Indigenous Peoples are the best land managers for forest conservation.

Another exciting development – the merger of CIFOR and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) – set the stage for more evidence and solutions that will improve people’s lives, help to conserve and restore the ecosystems that support people and nature, and respond to the global climate crisis.

Our scientists advanced critical knowledge on forest landscape restoration, wild foods and timber legality in Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and peatland fires, biofuel, oil palm and wetland ‘blue carbon’ in Indonesia – with clear policy impacts in Southeast Asia from 10 years of social forestry research and engagement. Our ongoing Global Comparative Studies – GCS REDD+ and GCS Tenure – continued to bring science to policy makers across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Gender researchers looked deep into a myriad of topics, and we mourned the loss of principal scientist and Nairobi hub leader Esther Mwangi, whose legacy of achievements in gender and land rights won’t be soon forgotten. Finally the Global Landscapes Forum brought even more people together, both at events from Accra to Luxembourg as well as through exciting new digital innovations.