Forest Ecosystem Restoration Initiative 

ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity  Recognizes Restoration Initiatives on 2023 World Environment Day

"

​

.

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

The AGI program, launched in August 2021, aims to foster the planting of a minimum of 10 million native trees across 10 ASEAN Member States over the next decade. This initiative places particular emphasis on native tree species, as they are more likely to thrive in their natural environment and offer long-term sustainability benefits. Native trees exhibit greater resilience, and adaptability to local climates and soils, and contribute to the enrichment of biodiversity while reviving essential interactions among various organisms and species. 

​

Prior to the announcement of the AGI awardees, the ACB organized a forum on ecosystem restoration. This gathering brought together experts, representatives from development organizations, and officers from local and national governments working in the fields of environment, forestry, and natural resources. The forum served as a platform to identify key issues, challenges, opportunities, and recommended actions for forest rehabilitation and ecosystem restoration at both national and regional levels. Participants shared approaches, tools, and success stories in ecosystem restoration, including community resilience, livelihoods, ecotourism, incentives, private sector partnerships, and engagement of youth, women, and Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in restoration initiatives.

​

The Acting Executive Secretary of CBD, David Cooper, participated in the opening ceremony on a video message, recognizing the importance of ecosystem restoration initiatives, that contribute to the Goals and targets of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The ACB proudly recognized eight outstanding greening initiatives from Lao PDR, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, all of which have demonstrated exemplary work in ecosystem restoration. These initiatives encompass a diverse range of stakeholders, including homeowner associations, national NGOs, local and national government agencies, and the private sector. Collectively, these recipients have successfully planted over 1.4 million native trees in their respective areas. The selection of awardees was based on criteria such as ecological soundness, socio-economic impacts, sustainability, and compliance with governance and institutional mechanisms.

​

GFG and GBF targets have common themes including spatial planning, sustainable management, expansion and improvement of protected areas, ecosystem restoration, combatting invasive alien species, species conservation, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, forest ecosystem functions and services, governance, financial resources, scientific and technical cooperation, and knowledge management.
 

The CBD and ACB congratulates the following AGI awardees:

​

Medium-Scale Initiatives - 101 up to 5,000 trees planted:

1. Lao Cherry Blossom Tree Project, Lao PDR

2. Ayala Westgrove Heights Native Tree and Wildlife Haven, Philippines

3. Ayala Land Carbon Forest Project in Davao, Philippines

 

Large-Scale Initiatives - Over 5,000 trees planted:

1. Habitat Rehabilitation Programme through Tree Planting Activities under Central Forest Spine (CFS) Management and Development Project, Malaysia

2. Yayasan PETRONAS Tree Planting Activities in support of PETRONAS Walk4Trees Programme, Malaysia

3. Ayala Land Carbon Forest Project in Cebu, Philippines

4. BINHI: The Greening Legacy, Philippines

5. OneMillionTrees Movement, Singapore

​

To know more about the AGI, log on to www.agi.aseanbiodiversity.org

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

​

​