English
Paying for RestorationBackgroundThe authors examine the payments for ecosystem services and review strategies for funding ecological restoration. They do so by conducting a literature review that is focused on two main questions: "how should ecological and economic considerations be balanced in determining expenditures on restoration projects? how is society going to pay for the substantial costs involved?" Available with subscription or purchase |
Towards Productive LandscapesBackgroundIncreasingly, practitioners, scientists, and policymakers are recognizing the need to puruse integrated landscape level initiatives to address restoration issues. Given this, this report draws on 29 papers by practitioners all over the world that highlight both the successes and challenges of landscape approaches in order to inform the future of these practices. Open access copy available |
Changing gears during succession: shifting functional strategies in young tropical secondary forestsBackgroundAdaptations toresource availability strongly shape patterns of community composition along successional gradients in environmental conditions. This study examines the extent to which variation in functional composition explains shifts in trait-based functional strategies in young tropical secondary forests during the most dynamic stage of succession (0–20 years). Open access copy available |
Pattern and Process in Neotropical Secondary Rain Forests: The First 100 Years of SuccessionBackgroundAccording the author, there has been an increasing rate of deforested areas that are being left to natural regenerate into a secondary succession forest. There is great interest in whether these forest will offer similar characteristics to primary forests, information and data is currently restricted to the first few years to a potentially decade long process. The author spends the paper reviewing recent advances in neotropical secondary succession. Available with subscription or purchase |
A Guide to the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM)BackgroundThis guide presents an introduction to Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM), a tool for countries to evaluate areas for restauration of forest landscapes and identify priority areas. It provides steps for forest land restoration (FLR) preparation and planning, data collection, analysis of results, policy recommendations and implementation. Open access copy available |
Preliminary assessment of post-Haiyan mangrove damage andshort-term recovery in Eastern Samar, central PhilippinesBackgroundIn this study, authors examined the natural ability of mangrove trees to recover after major storms and supertyphoons in the Philippines. Coastal mangroves are important for reducing the damage from these storms. Available with subscription or purchase |
Carbon sequestration in Africa: The land tenure problemBackgroundInconsistent land tenure practices across Africa are an obstacle to expanding tropical afforestation project with the goal of carbon sequestration. Few discussions of tropical afforestation in Africa address this obstacle. Open access copy available |
Understanding the Interaction of Rural People with Ecosystems: A Case Study in a Tropical Dry Forest of MexicoBackgroundThis paper reports on the effort to understand the relationship between the rural communities and the often-studied tropical dry forest. While many papers from scientists have focused on the biology and ecology of the Chamela-Cuixmala region, relatively few have considered human element to their work. Available with subscription or purchase |
A sustainability framework for assessing trade-offs in ecosystem servicesBackgroundThis report presents an analytical framework for achieving sustainability through the lens of ecosystem services. Conclusions & takeawaysThe report integrates both ecological and economic thinking to understand the dynamics of ecosystem services and human needs. A set of contrasting scenarios is presented as a way of illustrating both the pathways and the hurdles towards progress in sustainability. This report is intended to blend the disciplines of economics and ecology as a method for reaching wider audiences. Open access copy available |
Mitigation Needs Adaptation: Tropical Forestry and Climate ChangebackgroundThis paper examines how tropical forestry practices can contribute to maintaining and enhancing the ability of forests to adapt to global climate change. It considers challenges and opportunities for the integration of tropical forest management in broader methods of adaptation to climate change. Open access copy available |
