Introduction
The Society for Ecological Restoration, a U.S.-based conservation organization, published an updated set of standards and principles for restoring ecosystems on June 23. This is the third edition of the volume since 2016, and its goal is to develop a way of thinking about and carrying out restoration that avoids some of the damage caused by projects focused on narrowly defined targets, according to lead author George Gann.
For example, enhancing carbon storage in forests could lead to monoculture tree plantations instead of productive habitats for biodiversity-rich ecosystems. The 2026 version of the manual also asserts do-no-harm principles and the importance of conserving native ecosystems, just as the first did in 2016.
The New Approach
“But now we have to do more,” says Gann, international policy lead at the Society for Ecological Restoration. “We can’t just avoid collateral damage. We have to actually create recovery. We have to create ‘uplift’ for biodiversity.”
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022, sets the goal of restoring 30% of all degraded ecosystems by 2030, and the United Nations has tagged 2021-2030 as the “decade on restoration.”
Tools for Restoration
The standards and principles are specific, providing a set of tools for designing, implementing, and monitoring restoration work. At the same time, they’re “generic,” the authors note, allowing their application across diverse ecosystems facing different pathways to restoration.
“These standards don’t tell you how to restore grasslands or mangroves,” Gann says. “They’re... tools that can be applied in different contexts.”
Conclusion
The publication of these updated standards is a call to action for the global community to engage in the restoration of degraded ecosystems and the recovery of biodiversity. It is an important step towards meeting global environmental goals and protecting our planet for future generations.
Source / Reference
Source: Mongabay