Ecosystem services from forest restoration: thinking ahead

Background

This paper examines broad trends in our understanding of ecosystem services and how different restoration strategies can be based on distinct motives (biodiversity preservation, bioenergy production, or carbon sequestration) and may rely on diverse tools.

Goals & Methods

The paper analyzes the role of the restoration of forests and degraded lands through defining various techniques, scales and objectives of forest restoration. The authors then review hree key motivations for and targets of forest restoration including, forest biodiversity protection, biomass production, climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Conclusions & Takeaways

The authors emphasize the existing research indicating that tree biodiversity is important for ecosystem services and functioning, but that oftentimes plantation and carbon sequestration objectives fail to incorporate biodiversity into reforestation practice. Areas in which the authors see the need to improve general worldwide approach to restoration are a) improving production of reforestation stock, both in terms of nursery technology and genetic stock of seeds; b) well-defined standards for certification; and c) a market examination of payments for ecosystem services schemes to ensure long-term economic viability of restoration and ecosystem services projects.