Based on my field experience in a tropical humid country, the best strategy to restore a forest landscape is natural regeneration and the avoidance of abusive bush fire (fallow process). It takes 8-10 years, but the climax is reached after 40 years on average.

Dear Dieudonne,

Many thanks for your response. Do you have suggested article for me for further reading? Regards, Hari

Hi,

In my region, used:

-reforestation in some area

-areas protected by fencing

-prohibits grazing

As I said last week, based on my field experience, the following measures are required:

1. ban of abusive bush fire during the dry season;

2. installation of fire protection belt around the forest or savannah;

3. promoting community agroforestry to avoid shifting agricultural practices that destroy most of african forests

Out of concrete experiences in Ethiopia, Mali, Syria, Somalia, Pakistan, Tanzania and Rwanda I would like to list these Key-Measures for degraded forest-lands: 1) Fencing / protecting; banning free grazing; 2) Building on the millions & billions of hidden seeds in the soils, which emerge after protection; 3) Compiling the 100s of best-practice experiences gained worldwide; 4) Promoting community-participation and responsibility; 5) Reducing the pressure on forests by: a) promoting elephant-grass as the highest yielding forage-plant of the world (example Rwanda); b) growing fast-growing species outside the forest-zones like Eucalyptus, Prosopis, for quick fuel-production (example Ethiopia, Mali); c) promoting agro-forestry everywhere outside the forests; d) fencing new forestry-plots by dense hedges for CO2-retention; 5) Preventing any monoculture in forests; 6) Preventing pure & one-sided commercial and technical views & approaches.

It might sounds vague and obvious but the first key thing to restore any ecosystem is to know what was the cause (and agent) of the ecosystem degradation or the factor that is precluding its natural regeneration. So, first one have to know whether the agent (s) is still present or not. E.g. if the forest disappeared due to too overgrazing precluding seedling survival. Is there still overpopulation of herbivores (related to carrying capacity)?? If yes then before restore (sometimes just enough) you need to first stop overgrazing (fencing, negotiation with livestock stakeholders which areas to do not graze,...). Or if the main agent is fire, then, one should figure it out  who start the fire?  and why?, so maybe you can find a way to negotiate or get into agreements with the people who are burning to reduce the frequency or not burn certain areas for a period until the new trees can cope with fire,... So I don't  think there are universal recipes, just the common sense: tackle the cause,  and lots of tons of negotiation skills and concessions to achieve collaboration from the stakeholders not interested in restoration of forest.

Then, once the cause of degradation is not there anymore, normally natural seed bank and vegetative propagation is enough in most cases if still it remain forest around.

Hi Jose, do you happen to have a list of all trees and shrubs which can be propagated by vegetative means? Your point are indisputable ! Thanks;

Hi Bernhard I don't understand  what you mean with your question. I didn't make any distinction whether sexual or vegetative propagation.

I am just much in favour for vegetative propagation in all sorts of re-vegetation-contexts and still miss a comprehensive list for the species; In addition: your focus on the reasons of degradation is of utmost importance. 

The focus in the cause is just a call of attention to many projects that "believe" they have to plant trees at any cost, without asking themselves first: "why are there  no trees growing there?"what did happen with the previous and current land use? is it feasible to stop the cause of degradation? (e.g. are the goats that ate the trees and seedling still there? if so, you better sow alfalfa or anything more nutritious to the goat and probably less expensive than planting nursery trees to feed the goats!!!

This very common blindness lead many "well intentioned" attempts to restore forest  to just wasting money and increasing frustrations.

I am sorry Bernard i don't have such a list.  An additional point in favor of natural vegetative propagation is that if the plant root system is well established in the ground, (so simply it doesn't grow due to high pressure of herbivores, fire,...), then, after the degradation cause reduces or stops, its growth would be much faster and higher survival rate than with natural seedlings or planting from a nursery , especially in arid or semiarid climates.

Dear Salima,

Thanks for sharing. 

Dear Dieudonne,

Interesting indeed. In some area in Burkina Faso, they create early burning/fire to cut seed dormancy under neath of soil. In addition, some pioneer species need enough sun light to trigger regeneration.

Dear Bernhard Meier zu Biesen,

Thank you for sharing your wide range of experiences in different regions. 

If you have further information such as homepage that related with what you shared, that would be great.

Best regards, h

Dear Jose Gonzalez,

I agree with you that different condition of the site may use different approaches of restoration activities. 

Thank you for your contribution.

Best regards, h

Dear all,

I just read a report by WRI and other institutions. It is mentioned that successful forest landscape restoration integrates a number of guiding principles, including:

1. Focus on landscapes. Consider and restore entire landscapes as opposed to individual sites. This typically entails balancing a mosaic of interdependent land uses across the landscape, such as protected forest areas, ecological corridors, regenerating forests, agroforestry systems, agriculture, well-managed plantations, and riparian strips to protect waterways.

2. Restore ecological functionality. Restore the ecological functionality of the landscape, such as its richness as a habitat, its ability to contain erosion and floods, and its resilience to climate change and various disturbances. 

3. Allow for multiple benefits. Aim to generate a suite of ecosystem goods and services by intelligently and appropriately increasing tree cover across the landscape. 

4. Leverage suite of strategies. Consider a wide range of eligible technical strategies for restoring trees on the landscape, ranging from natural regeneration to tree planting.

5. Involve stakeholders. Actively engage local stakeholders in decisions regarding restoration goals, implementation methods, and trade-offs. It is important that the restoration process respects their rights, is aligned with their land management practices, and provides them benefits. 

6. Tailor to local conditions. Adapt restoration strategies to fit local social, economic, and ecological contexts; there is no “one size fits all.”

7. Avoid conversion of natural forest. Avoid converting natural forests into tree or crop plantations.

8. Adaptively manage. Be prepared to adjust the restoration strategy over time as environmental conditions, human knowledge, and societal values change. 

Cheers, h

I agree with the recommendations made above. It is very important to consider local conditions which may vary very much. from Experiences in Berlin, Germany I can report that it is very important to check soil conditions in degenerated areas. Some times the soil is just too bad for trees to grow. If not one has to choose trees which fit. After planting they have to be protected against game as deer or roes, by fences and by hunting.

Dear Almurt Jirku,

I agree with you. Soil and other local climate condition should be well studied before doing tree planting selection. There are advance knowledge and technology that may improve soil conditions/fertility in the specific site. Thanks!

Dear all

I agree with the scope of the concept of forest landscape restoration. In relation to the key actions to achieve successfully the restoration, I think depends on two basic conditions: the first is the level of degradation of the landscape; and second of existing resources to initiate restoration activities.

Thank you Nikolay for your opinion. 

Dear HAri,

I think restoring habitat amount to reach at least the biological threshold is a key point for connecting landscapes. However, it is important to know which is the specific threshold of studied bioma to decide about the level of landscape resilience that you aim to reach.

See:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259217353_A_Framework_to_Optimize_Biodiversity_Restoration_Efforts_Based_on_Habitat_Amount_and_Landscape_Connectivity

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265175125_Using_ecological_thresholds_to_evaluate_the_costs_and_benefits_of_set-asides_in_a_biodiversity_hotspot

Article A Framework to Optimize Biodiversity Restoration Efforts Bas...

Article Using ecological thresholds to evaluate the costs and benefi...