A companion to the Short Term Action Plan on Ecosystem Restoration
Resources, case studies, and biodiversity considerations in the context of restoration science and practice
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This text is extracted from Annex I of CBD COP Decision XIII/5: Ecosystem restoration: short-term action plan.
Restoration activities should be planned on the basis of priorities identified in step A and implementation facilitated by actions in step B. Actions would benefit from consultation with stakeholders and experts from various disciplines to assist with all phases of project work (assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting). Capacity-building for stakeholders, including legal and legislative support for the rights of women and indigenous peoples and local communities, may be required. The following actions may be considered, and undertaken as appropriate:
Planning and implementation of ecosystem restoration activities
Identify the most appropriate measures for conducting ecosystem restoration, based on the best available evidence and taking into account ecological appropriateness, the use of native species, scale of measures linked to the processes to be restored cost-effectiveness, and support to indigenous peoples’ and community conserved territories and areas, and respect for their traditional customary knowledge and practices. Emphasis should be given to restoration approaches and activities that allow people to maintain and/or establish sustainable livelihoods.
Consider how ecosystem restoration activities can support the ecological and economic sustainability of agriculture and other production activities, as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation, and disaster risk reduction, and enhance ecosystem services, including for urban areas. Restoration may be mainstreamed into land- and seascape planning. The expected effects of restoration activities on the ecological function of adjacent lands and waters should be considered, for example through environmental impact assessments and strategic environmental assessments. Potential future environmental changes, such as those resulting from climate change, should be taken into account.
Consult relevant resources for activity C2
Develop ecosystem restoration plans with clear and measurable objectives and goals for expected environmental, economic and social outcomes. In addition to goals and objectives, plans could include the extent and lifetime of the project, the feasibility of mitigating degrading forces, budget and staff requirements, and a coherent plan for monitoring project implementation and efficacy. Project goals may include the desired future condition of the areas being restored, and the expected ecological and socioeconomic attributes of the reference ecosystem(s). In addition, project goals could explicitly specify ecological and socioeconomic targets (e.g., biomass of vegetation, jobs), and for each target an action (e.g., reduce, increase, maintain), quantity (e.g., 50 per cent), and timeframe (e.g., five years). Objectives could then be developed with an appropriate monitoring programme to detail the specific steps required to fulfill the goals.
Consult relevant resources for activity C3
Develop explicit implementation tasks, schedules, and budgets. Anticipated details of implementation, including site preparation, installation, or follow-up activities, may be considered. In addition, performance standards could be explicitly stated, along with a preliminary and adaptable list of questions to be addressed through monitoring and the proposed protocols that will be used to examine project success at specified intervals during restoration. Monitoring and evaluation may benefit from the establishment of standards for data collection, management and retention, analyses, and sharing of lessons learned.
Consult relevant resources for activity C4
Implement the measures outlined in the ecosystem restoration plan to conserve, manage sustainably, and, restore degraded ecosystems and landscape units in the most effective and coordinated manner possible, making use of existing science and technology and traditional knowledge.
Consult relevant resources for activity C5