Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) Pacific Week of Agriculture Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) Yurdi Yasmi FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok

Structure What is FLR? Why it is important? FLR in the region and FLR Mechanism

Forest and landscape restoration An active process that brings people together to identify, negotiate and implement practices that restore an agreed optimal balance of the ecological, social and economic benefits of forests and trees within a broader pattern of land uses (GPFLR)

Key principles of FLR Balancing ecological functions with human development needs Enhancing resilience Continuous learning process Engaging multiple stakeholders

Huge area of degraded landscape Deforestation and forest degradation

Huge area of secondary forest in the region Primary forests 19% Secondary forests 64% Planted forests 17%

400 million hectares of degraded lands available for restoration in Asia-Pacific Global Challenge – Global Opportunity 2 billion hectares of deforested and degraded land potentially available for restoration (size of South America) Source : GPFLR

Multiple options of FLR ASSISTED NATURAL REGENERATION IN THE SLOPES TREE PLANTATION IN FLOW ZONES TO LIMIT WATERSHED EROSION RISKS IMPROVE MANAGEMENT AND PLANTATION TECHNICS TREE PLANTATION OF LOCAL SPECIES TREE CROPS MIXED WITH FIELD CROPS NATURAL REGENERATION IN BUFFER ZONES OF NATIONAL PARKS IMPROVE MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS AND TREE PLANTATIONS

Multiple benefits of FLR RICH AND STABLE SOILS WATER SECURITY CARBON STORAGE BIODIVERSITY FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION WOOD AND NON WOOD FOREST PRODUCTS RECREATION AND ECO-TOURISM

International commitments on FLR Restore 15% of degraded ecosystems by 2020 There is a growing awareness of the importance of forest and landscape restoration (FLR) thanks to several international processes. Accelerate existing global restoration goals, e.g. Bonn Challenge 350 mil ha by 2030

International commitments on FLR AFOLU under NDCs Bonn Challenge + end natural forest loss by 2030 Promote SFM, substantially increase reforestation

Bonn challenge A global effort to bring degraded and deforested lands into restoration 150 million hectares by 2020 350 million hectares by 2030

FLR initiatives in the Asia Pacific region Support efforts to advance implementation of FLR, including through mobilization of financing Strengthen stakeholder engagement, scientific basis, and ecological, social and economic sustainability of FLR efforts Enhance learning, collaboration and coordination on FLR across the region

FLR initiatives in the Pacific Sub-regional exchange for the Pacific on the restoration of forests and other ecosystems within a landscape approach organized by CBD, FAO and SPC, 28-31 May 2019 in Nadi - Participants from 10 Pacific countries Key messages from the workshop on what would be needed: Definition of realistic national and sub-regional restoration targets Improved coordination between stakeholders (data & planning) FLR Strategy Development & Integrated Land use Planning using existing plans Technical assistance on restoration methodologies Identification of funding for FLR implementation => Support needed at national and regional levels Improved coordination between different branches of government to ensure that relevant data on forest and land degradation/ restoration need is known and available, making use of tools such as the Inform platform to ensure the better circulation of data; Integrated land use planning and national scale assessments of opportunities for restoration to define appropriate restoration actions, as well as their purpose and expected benefits; Development of national FLR strategies linked to existing development plans, noting that land degradation has long been a challenge in the sub-region, FLR strategies can benefit from technical assistance for restoration activities tailored to the local context. People centered approaches are a key element of FLR and of successful projects in the region; Identification of appropriate species and improvement of plant materials used in restoration in the region, making more use of naturalized species especially native species that also includes culturally significant species; Definition of national and sub-regional restoration targets rooted in reality, using the ‘SMART’ framework for the design of national targets, and based on updated scientific assessments and data on the state and trends of loss and degradation of natural ecosystems (and based on cost-benefits analysis of the multiple restoration options); Promotion of synergies between the main international conventions (UNCCD/UNFCC and CBD) on restoration-based solutions- at national level and increasing coordination between the focal points for these conventions. The nomination of a national focal point in order to facilitate the national dialogue on restoration issues could facilitate the process; Promotion of FLR in the region and attraction of potential donors to tackle the specific challenges in the Pacific. Strong cost- benefit analysis will be a key element of any future resource mobilization efforts; Supporting a sub-regional group discussion on common challenges and opportunities for FLR in the Pacific region; and Facilitating the reporting of this sub regional group within the broader contexts of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC) and the Pacific Community (SPC).

FLR initiatives in the Pacific A regional hub/platform could support these activities through knowledge sharing and resource mobilization (as the Mediterranean one) FAO/FLRM can already support the FLR Hub (as it did in the Mediterranean) and national plans through: supporting a high level event to launch the Hub building capacity through workshops on FLR planning, implementation and resource mobilization providing Technical Assistance through the Technical Assistance Facility Additionally, after the Nadi workshop a regional FLR proposal has been submitted to IKI by SPC with FAO support

Forest and Landscape Restoration Mechanism (FLRM) Established in 2014 to help countries meet their ambitious pledges to restore degraded lands. Provides direct support to regions and countries with focuses on: developing enabling conditions for FLR at national and regional level with partners such as APFNet, IUCN, ITTO, RECOFTC Supporting national FLR plans providing innovative technical support and capacity development supporting work in monitoring, reporting, assessment and evaluation of FLR supporting resource mobilization (over 40 MUSD mobilized for FLR) National-level FLR actions in 19 countries, including some in Asia-Pacific region

Thank you! Contact Yurdi Yasmi (Yurdi.Yasmi@fao.org) FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok Contact Christophe Besacier (Christophe.Besacier@fao.org) FAO Headquarters Rome