Assisted natural regeneration of forests

When to apply ANR

The key to unlocking the full potential of natural and assisted natural regeneration of forests lies in identifying those areas where this strategy is likely to proceed well from both social (encompassing policy, economics, demographics, tenure, and regulatory) and ecological perspectives.

Certain ecological, socio-economic and regulatory conditions favor forest restoration through natural regeneration. These include:

• Fencing to keep out cattle resulted in rapid natural regrowth at this deforested site. ©FAO/Kenichi ShonoAdequate density of naturally regenerating tree seedlings;
• Availability of seed inputs from remnant forest patches nearby or the soil seed bank;
• Ability to prevent or at least minimize human-induced disturbances including fire, grazing and unsustainable harvesting of forest resources;
• Presence of social support with incentives and long-term benefits for local communities;
• Shared vision of local stakeholders on objectives of restoration and clear land and resource tenure;
• Low to moderate opportunity costs from other land uses and ability to negotiate outcomes across sectors operating in the area;
• Favorable policy and regulatory environment for restoration; and
• Capacity, technical knowledge and support within local governments and/or civil society organizations.

ANR is a flexible and adaptable approach that can be applied in a variety of ecological, environmental and socio-economic contexts. Some of the key modalities of ANR include:

ANR to accelerate and enrich forest regeneration on heavily degraded shrub/grasslands. This approach typically includes grass pressing, liberation of desired tree seedlings, working with local communities to control disturbances, and enrichment planting of tree species of economic and/or ecological value depending on the restoration objectives. This approach can be applied to transform abandoned agricultural lands into regenerating forests that provide multiple benefits to landowners and local communities.

ANR as a component of forest management. ANR can be a part of forest management practice to improve the ecological and commercial value of existing forest stands through thinning, control of invasive species, enrichment planting, and prevention of fires and other disturbances.

ANR as a component of agriculture. ANR can also be used to enhance agricultural yield and as a component of agrosilvopastoral systems, which is also referred to as farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR). Examples of successful FMNR implementation in Africa provide evidence for increased crop production, alleviation of fuelwood shortage, and enhanced survival rate of livestock in dry years. Indigenous trees and shrubs that have regenerated provide habitat and food for wildlife, as well as greater access to wild foods and medicinal plants for local communities.