9 December 2015: Two publications presented at the Global Landscapes Forum, the latest issue of Unasylva, the forestry journal of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), and an assessment of the Guidelines of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) for the Restoration, Management and Rehabilitation of Degraded Secondary Tropical Forests aim to shed light on the factors contributing to successful forest and landscape restoration and management.

Unasylva includes a series of articles exploring the concept of forest and landscape restoration, mapping progress made and the challenges ahead, and highlighting the need for successful engagement of a range of stakeholders, from policy-makers to local communities and from governments to private actors. Articles address: concepts, approaches and challenges for implementation in forest and landscape restoration; its history and future; ecosystem restoration, protected areas and biodiversity conservation; the importance of genetically diverse and site-matched germplasm to avoid failure in forest restoration; restoration of degraded forests and landscapes in drylands; community participation in Africa’s Great Green Wall restoration model; restoration of forests and degraded lands in Southeast Asia; initiatives of relevance in the Republic of Korea, China and southern Europe; and funding-related issues.

The report on ‘Assessing the ITTO Guidelines for the Restoration, Management and Rehabilitation of Degraded Secondary Tropical Forests: Case studies of Ghana, Indonesia and Mexico,’ presents a review of restoration activities in project sites in the three countries, a summary of the main lessons learned and recommendations for the development of a revised framework. Drafted by the World Resources Institute, the report concludes that in Ghana, practices built on traditional methods and experiences and using simple and inexpensive techniques and technologies assisted in the sustainability of restoration activities. In Indonesia, it was the development of participatory contractual agreements on collaborative forest management and the strong commitment of local governments and communities to their implementation that helped ensure effective operation of restoration projects. Finally, in Mexico, given the increasing global demand for commodities such as gold, bauxite, palm oil, rubber, sugar and beef, it is essential to consider how effective legislation, institutions and governance can facilitate the development of economically more attractive integrated land management systems.

In related news, FAO has also circulated a brief including the recommendations from the XIV World Forestry Congress, which stress that global challenges require increased efforts to better manage land by integrating forests and other land uses. [Publication: Unasylva 245, vol. 66, 2015/3] [Publication: Assessing the ITTO Guidelines for the Restoration, Management and Rehabilitation of Degraded Secondary Tropical Forests: Case studies of Ghana, Indonesia and Mexico] [ITTO News Release] [Foresters Call for Action: Future Land Management Needs Better Integration of Sectors. Recommendations from the XIV World Forestry Congress] [Natural Resources Policy &Practice Story on the XIV World Forestry Congress]