NEWS
Forest restoration initiatives tend to be driven by targets , with little regard for local ecological context . This commitment to fixed areas of forest cover encourages tree plantations in ecologically inappropriate sites and conditions .
For example , Malawi has reportedly pledged 4.5 million hectares to forest restoration . This is over a third of the country ’ s total area .
Planting trees and restoring community woodlots , plantations and riverbanks are presented as addressing food and water insecurity and restoring biodiversity . Yet studies have shown that Malawi ’ s vegetation has been mostly savanna and grasslands for thousands of years .
The National Mission for a Green India aims to put a third of the country ’ s area under forest cover , no matter what natural vegetation existed originally . Large areas of natural grassland-forest mosaics have been replaced with commercial plantations . In many areas these species have become invasive and difficult to control .
Why does forest restoration continue to ignore the local ecological context ?
What is the science that underpins these massive schemes ?
The colonial roots of tree planting
Historical research shows that the fascination with tree-planting has its origins in colonial forestry . This in turn was rooted in the centuries-old ( and now disproven ) theory that forests bring rain and deforestation cause areas to dry up . The colonial forestry approach was to plant trees to make up for deforestation caused by local people . The latter often lost control over their land in the process .
Initially applied in Algeria , this approach was adopted throughout Francophone Africa , Madagascar , and eventually also the British colonies in East Africa and India . Since historical forest cover of Europe was estimated at roughly onethird , this became the target in other places too .
This led to over two centuries of planting forests as a solution for a variety of ills , including drought , warming temperatures , soil erosion and lost biodiversity . It ’ s remarkable how today ’ s science-policy platforms continue this narrative .
Promoting appropriate solutions
Forest landscape restoration has become a powerful instrument for guiding global efforts and funding . Its proponents have a responsibility to ensure that the framework is scientifically sound .
Rather than setting ambitious but ecologically flawed targets for planting trees , landscape restoration should be appropriate for local social and ecological contexts .
No amount of ecosystem restoration will solve the climate crisis if its underlying causes are not addressed .
The clearing of forests and other ecosystems for commodity agriculture and timber urgently needs to be regulated . Emissions from burning fossil fuels need to be drastically reduced .
Rather than targeting developing – and rapidly urbanising – countries for afforestation , incentives should aim to reduce fossil fuel emissions , convert to renewable energy and build energysaving infrastructure .
On a farm near Prince Albert – Assessing drought impact on Karoo vegetation ( Photo by Janet Taylor )
15 Grassroots Vol 21 No 1 March 2021