What are the factors for the success or failure of forest restoration? What lessons can be gleaned from the projects implemented in recent decades? The study presented in this article attempted to answer these questions by analysing the feedback from 32 forest restoration experts from 18 European countries.
Ten main lessons emerged:
- Natural disasters catalyse restoration efforts and influence the type of restoration carried out (water, climate, etc.).
- Geopolitical crises can both hinder and stimulate progress in restoration. For example, forests are often degraded and overexploited during wars, but large-scale restoration projects have also been launched to avoid wood shortages, shaping today’s forests.
- Type of ownership and management: centralised forest management is often a vector for large-scale restoration projects, while forest fragmentation is an obstacle to restoration actions.
- Financing mechanisms: it is essential to find long-term sources and mechanisms of financing that are not dependent on market and political fluctuations.
- Dependence on the timber market: the demand for timber and fuel wood influences restoration strategies. A payment system for ecosystem services could strengthen the commitment of owners and ensure the sustainability of projects.
- Socio-demographic and social realities: rural exodus tends to reduce conflicts over land use but leads to other problems such as the lack of forest management and a loss of commitment to restoration projects.
- National and international policies play a key role in the development of restoration strategies.
- Alignment of objectives: the integration of environmental, social, economic and political aspects is essential to achieve transformative effects in the long term.
- Conflicts: a major obstacle to project success is the divergence of objectives (e.g. timber production versus conservation). Resolving these conflicts requires a comprehensive approach to meeting societal challenges.
- A long-term vision: experience shows that a long-term vision is essential to limit risks and implement projects that are beneficial for both ecosystems and communities.