Restoring Working Forests in Human-Dominated Landscapes of the Wet Evergreen Forest Region of South Asia

Background

This publication summarizes the proceedings of 2012 conference held in Sri Lanka titled "Restoring Working Forests in Human-Dominated Landscapes of the Wet Evergreen Forest Region of South Asia." Since the 19th century, South Asia experienced wide-spread forest degradation, which was began to be addressed in the late-20th century. Yet, the reforestation approach often involved monocultured forest plantations, which proved problematic both for local peoples and conservationists. This conference was in response to these trends. It sought to highlight holistic approaches to forest restoration that take into account the ecological, social, and economic while also highlighting the opportunities and challenges. 

Conclusions & Takeaways

The publication summarizes the conference's four panels featuring scholars and practitioners from both South Asia and abroad. These panels ranged from discussions on community forestry and non-timber forest products (NTFP), use of native species in restoration, secondary growth, and land tenure. The conference was an important step in bringing a variety of stakeholders together to advance forest restoration in South Asia.