Forest-based industries scale up ecosystem restoration efforts

New Haven, Connecticut – “Forest-based industries can play a critical role in facilitating global efforts towards ecosystem restoration” said the FAO’s Advisory Committee on Sustainable Forest-based Industries (ACSFI) today in a statement released at Yale University School of Environment in New Haven, Connecticut.

Following the Roundtable on ‘Enhancing forest sector engagement in ecosystem restoration’ held on 2 October 2022, and at the occasion of the Scoping Dialogue on Restoration at Yale, the ACSFI calls upon FAO, its member countries, the private sector and other stakeholders to jointly strengthen their commitment in conserving, restoring and sustainably using ecosystems.

“Enhancing the engagement of the forest-based industries in the restoration of forest ecosystems has the potential to have a positive impact on biodiversity and forest health,” stated Lyndall Bull, Forestry Officer ACSFI Secretariat, during the meeting.

Given their long experience of sustainably managing land, forests, water, and biodiversity, many representatives in the forest private sector possess scientific expertise on ecological processes and rich insights into the restoration of ecosystems. This knowledge can open novel economic opportunities while positioning the forest private sector as key provider of nature-based solutions to climate change and contribution to the sustainable bioeconomy.

“We need to upscale the successful business models implemented by the forest-based industries that integrate restoration to ensure the success of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration”, said Sven Walter, FAO Senior Forestry Officer and Secretary of the ACSFI.

The benefits that the forest-based industries could get by further engaging in ecosystem restoration include:

• Opportunities to develop strategic collaborations with companies in other sectors and increase demand for sustainably sourced wood products;
• Raising societal awareness about the role of the forest sector in addressing environmental challenges;
• Enhancing the capacity of forest-based small, medium and micro enterprises in the forest product sector to transform and improve sustainable wood-based value-chains;
• Tapping the potential to scale up impact at landscape level for restoration activities through blended finance and other mechanisms; and
• Accessing sustainable finance to diversify revenue portfolios through such mechanisms as green bonds, impact funds, carbon finance and payments for ecosystems services.

The ACSFI therefore calls upon the private sector to promote industry-wide dialogues to recognize ecological restoration as a novel strategic opportunity; participate in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration initiative; and explore collaborations within and outside the sector to build the capacities of value-chain partners for harnessing emergent opportunities.

Read the full Statement: Enhancing the engagement of forest-based industries in ecosystem restoration