Introduction
What types of restoration are covered in this guide?
In this guide, restoration is defined as, “one or more interventions that aim to improve ecological functionality and enhance human well-being in degraded landscapes.” Degraded landscapes are those that have lost some degree of their natural productivity or services that they typically provide, such as habitat for wildlife, carbon storage, or fertile soils for growing crops. Restoration can assume many forms and occur in contexts ranging from terrestrial to freshwater to ocean ecosystems.
While restoration is important in any environment, we found that tools designed to monitor restoration are highly specific to the ecosystem type and land use being restored. For example, terrestrial restoration monitoring tools based on satellite detection are often not suitable for monitoring aquatic or marine ecosystems like coral reefs or seagrasses. To provide tailored guidance, this guide specifically focuses on terrestrial restoration—primarily forest and landscape (tree-based) restoration—and the tools that can be used to monitor such activities.
A wide range of activities can be used to restore degraded land for different purposes and at different spatial scales—from establishing dense forests to support wildlife habitat to planting sparse tree cover on farmland to stabilize soils and increase fertility. This guide is intended to help users find and access tools that can be used to monitor many types of terrestrial restoration activities rather than focusing on any one activity.
You can learn more about which restoration activities are commonly used in different terrestrial ecosystem types in the IUCN Restoration Intervention Typology for Terrestrial Ecosystems.
Why restore forests and landscapes?
From growing trees on farms to restocking degraded forests, terrestrial restoration activities share one common vision: enhancing the productivity and ecological integrity of degraded lands to benefit both people and nature. Protecting and restoring land has significant climate benefits; trees, soils, and other land features removed a net 6 gigatonnes (Gt) of CO2 per year globally from 2007 to 2016, equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of the United States. For every $1 invested, restoring forests and landscapes can bring up to $30 in economic benefits by providing services like improved drinking water quality, sustainable supplies of food and forest products, ecotourism opportunities, and more.
The benefits of restoring degraded land have inspired restoration commitments at the global and regional levels:
Relevant global targets & Commitments
The Bonn Challenge aims to bring 350 million hectares (Mha) under restoration globally by 2030. As of September 2022, governments around the world have pledged to restore over 210 Mha of degraded land under the Bonn Challenge.
The New York Declaration on Forests fosters ambition and action to bring 350 Mha under restoration by 2030.
Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use has more than 140 signatories that have pledged to end forest loss and land degradation by 2030.
As part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted in December 2022, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity set a 2030 target to “have restoration completed or underway on at least 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland waters, and coastal and marine ecosystems”
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification set a goal to neutralize land degradation by 2030, with more than 129 countries setting targets to reverse land degradation.
As part of the Paris Agreement, a legally binding treaty that facilitates international cooperation to mitigate climate change, each of the 194 signatory countries must develop Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to specify their national-level mitigation targets and action plans. While the NDCs vary from country to country, many contain targets related to restoration and forest management.
Relevant regional targets & Commitments
In Latin America and the Caribbean, Initiative 20x20 aims to restore 50 million hectares (Mha) of forests, farms, pasture, and other landscapes by 2030 as a contribution to the Bonn Challenge.
The Africa Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) focuses on bringing 100 Mha under restoration by 2030 as a contribution to the Bonn Challenge.
In the Mediterranean, the Agadir Commitment aims to restore 8 Mha by 2030.
Why is it important to monitor restoration?
Kofi Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, once said, “Without good data, we’re flying blind. If you can’t see it, you can’t solve it.” Without data on where restoration is succeeding or failing, it will be difficult to leverage resources for the greatest possible impact and avoid blindly initiating activities without learning from outcomes.
Restoration monitoring that uses a systematic approach is critical for documenting changes to the ecosystem over time and comparing results with other similar projects. This documentation is, in turn, essential for encouraging the replication of successful activities and adaptively managing those that are struggling. Information from monitoring programs can:
- build the evidence base for the effectiveness and impacts of specific activities
- create the knowledge base for upscaling activities and approaches
- build trust between funders and restoration implementers – where funders can see sustained progress and adaptive management, they see less risk and may be more likely to continue investing in restoration.