Participatory approaches

When stakeholders participate in the process of forest and landscape restoration, the activities are more effective and sustainable. FLR success is unpredictable and knowledge should be directly applied by local stakeholders in order to reduce the level of uncertainty and solve environmental problems. Therefore, FLR must integrate a plurality of perspectives and requires the concourse of an extended peer community. The magnitude of the challenge to restore a significant part of the degraded Earth demands cooperative work and social engagement.

Watch our webinars below to learn more about why participatory approaches are important to ensure the successful realization of forest and landscape restoration.

Webinar introduction “Forest and landscape restoration, participatory approaches and monitoring

In the webinar introduction, Carolina Gallo, FAO presented the objectives, focus questions and agenda of the webinar.

Introduction to Forest and landscape restoration participatory approaches and monitoring - J. Cortina

Jordi Cortina (University of Alicante, Spain; Chair of the European Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration – SER) opened the webinar with call for an urgent intervention to help world’s ecosystems to recover from degrading activities, also contributing to human wellbeing and social cohesion.

Participants’ introductions and objectives for FLR webinar with Maria Nuutinen

The participants to the webinar “Forest and landscape restoration: Participatory approaches and monitoring” introduced themselves and pinned down their learning objectives with the facilitator Maria Nuutinen, FAO.

"Participatory approaches to restore drylands in Morocco" by Mchich Derak

Mchich Derak, Regional Directorate for Water and Forests of the Rif in Morocco, presented a case study from the Rif area in Northern Morocco, describing a participatory FLR project developed as a cooperation between the Moroccan government, the University of Tetouan and the University of Alicante, and local civil society organizations.

Questions and answers with Mchich Derak on Participatory approaches to restore drylands in Morocco

Mchich Derak Mchich Derak, Regional Directorate for Water and Forests of the Rif in Morocco, answers questions relagarding FLR participatory approach.

"Forest restoration monitoring – participation and support of local people" by Manuel Guariguata - Part 1

Manuel Guariguata, Center for International Forestry Research, CIFOR in Peru, revealed, that it is still a minority of restoration projects that establish a monitoring system and a mechanism that makes monitoring happen with local participation.

"Forest restoration monitoring – participation and support of local people" by Manuel Guariguata - Part 2

Questions and answers session with Manuel Guariguata and the panelists to the FAO webinar

Manuel Guariguata, Christine Vale, Jordi Cortina and Mchich Derak respond to participants’ questions on participatory approaches to the whole project cycle of forest and landscape restoration activities, including monitoring.

Panel discussion on “Forest and landscape restoration: Participatory approaches and monitoring”

Christine Vale, Jordi Cortina, Manuel Guariguata and Mchich Derak respond to participants’ questions on participatory approaches to the whole project cycle of forest and landscape restoration activities, including monitoring.

Summary of the webinar on forest and landscape restoration by Jordi Cortina

Jordi Cortina summarizes the key take-away messages of the webinar with two main points. First, engaging with the complex dynamics of socio-economic systems and integrating the plurality of views are necessary steps towards successful realization of Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR).