Background

Forest degradation and biodiversity loss continue despite ongoing restoration efforts. Current restoration policies and practices primarily prioritize plantations and carbon sequestration, often neglecting long-term socio-ecological impacts. So, this Project aims to create a more ecologically informed and inclusive approach to forest restoration through the integration of traditional knowledge, scientific research, and community needs in tackling the urgent problems of forest degradation and biodiversity loss in the central Himalayas. In addition to strengthening the skills of local actors, the project will provide frameworks and methods for sustainable restoration techniques. Through a participatory approach, the project will generate practical knowledge to direct restoration efforts across various ecological zones, resulting in resilient forest landscapes and improved socio-ecological outcomes.

Approach

The project understands that restoring degraded landscapes is a multifaceted process encompassing technical, social, and political aspects. It prioritizes engaging a wide range of stakeholders in both planning and executing restoration efforts. The project will employ a participatory approach across its implementation, from designing research to preparing strategies and enhancing capacities.

Objectives

The overall objective of the Project is to promote ecologically sound and socially just forest landscape restoration through informed strategies, proactive involvement, and enhanced capacities of stakeholders.

Specific Objectives

• Evaluate the social and ecological outcomes of past restoration initiatives employing participatory tools and a comprehensive set of variables.
• Create and disseminate guiding frameworks and strategies for place-based and data-informed restoration interventions.
• Strengthen the capabilities of various stakeholders, including youth and women from Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs), engaged in forest landscape restoration.

Activities

• Comparative Assessment of Restoration Strategies
• Development of Restoration Manual
• Capacity Building Workshops
• Establishment of a Multi-Stakeholder Restoration Platform

Outcomes

• Improved and informed forest landscape restoration through Evaluation of the effectiveness of key restoration strategies.
• Development and dissemination of guiding frameworks and strategies for place-based, data-driven restoration using a participatory approach.
• Enhanced capacity of stakeholders, including local communities, youth, and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), to adopt innovative and inclusive restoration strategies.

Location and Scale

For this project, Nepal will be considered for the assessment of restoration initiatives, developing stakeholder capacity, and disseminating results. The project will adopt a holistic approach to forest landscape restoration, prioritizing forests and high mountain pastures as major systems for restoration. For practical purposes, Nepal will be categorized into three biophysical zones: high mountains, mid hills, and lowlands. Additionally, the country will be longitudinally divided into eastern, central, and western regions. Through capacity-building activities such as training, networking, and workshops, the project will engage directly with more than 1000 individuals, including residents, youth, women, professional foresters, and other stakeholders involved in restoration efforts. Additionally, the project plans to conduct over 300 household surveys, 30 focus group discussions, and 20 key informant interviews to document Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) related to forest landscape restoration and management.