Effective Ecological and Social Outcomes Require Attention to Local Context and Seed Sources When Planting Trees

Successful active restoration — restoration that involves active interventions by people — requires more than just planting trees or increasing tree cover. At best, active restoration can establish functional, climate-change resistant forests that improve local stakeholder’s livelihoods by providing relevant ecosystem goods and services. The difference between ‘just planting trees’ and successful restoration require attention to local context, since the connections and dependencies between each forest ecosystem and human community are unique.

Choosing species for active restoration requires thoughtful, context-specific attention to sources of seedlings and knowledge of local cultures and ecosystems to produce robust ecological and social outcomes. For example, using carefully selected tree exotic species can, in some contexts, promote native species recovery; in others, the use of ‘locally useful’ species can make tree planting more attractive while also contributing to local livelihoods and traditions. Species choice should also challenge the status quo; for example, exploring the potential of selected exotics to stimulate native species recovery, expanding the availability of locally available seedlings in nurseries, and asking local people about the species they use, know, and/or like.