Featured Summaries
important social and ecological concepts
Nature-based solutions (NbS) consist of a suite of sustainable land management approaches including conservation, ecosystem-based adaptation, and ecological restoration, which aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help people adapt to climate change (Cohen-Sacham et al. 2018). Restoring mangroves, for example, contrasts with traditional infrastructure or engineering-based approaches to ecosystem management, such as the use of concrete or steel structures for coastal protection (Browder et al. 2019).
The growing interest in NbS has inspired new projects, research, and initiatives designed to address the many challenges associated with climate change. The following manuals, guides, and articles showcase some of the foundational literature on NbS, describing the motivation, techniques, and key principles behind implementing this approach.
Dr. Marlito Bande describing a strategy of interplanting abaca, a plant that yields extremely strong fiber, with native dipterocarp trees during a training on Rainforestation in the Philippines
© David Neidel
In order to effectively incorporate human needs into forest restoration and conservation, it is important to pursue efforts to protect and enhance the livelihoods and well-being of people involved in or impacted by local land management. Yet, this process is not always straightforward.
These featured articles explore the relationship between forest restoration and local livelihoods. Drawing on case studies from five distinct regions, all exemplify unintended consequences that emerge when local livelihoods are not comprehensively considered and shed light on the complex, multi-dimensional, and multiscale processes that are required to incorporate local livelihoods into restoration initiatives.
Zoraida Calle explains the functions of roots in slope stabilization at an ELTI-supported field course on the restoration of severely eroded land in Santander, Colombia © Melissa Ayala
Forest restoration can involve a variety of human interventions ranging from more active methods (i.e. tree planting) to more passive methods (natural and assisted natural regeneration), and the selection of which method to employ from site-to-site depends on a variety of social and ecological factors.
These featured articles detail the multiple facets of assisted natural regeneration (also referred to as passive restoration, natural regeneration, or accelerated natural regeneration) and the benefits, challenges, and application to a variety of regions and forest types.
Natural regeneration in a riparian buffer zone on the El Ñopo farm, Los Santos Province, Panama. Assisted natural regeneration techniques were applied in this site by fencing, weeding, and applying fertilizer around desired tree species. © Jacob Slusser