Monitoring forest restoration projects: why, when and how?

Forest restoration is more than just planting trees; it requires careful monitoring, innovative technology solutions and, above all, the deep commitment of all stakeholders, from local residents to political decision-makers. Only in this way can these projects guarantee a sustainable future for our forest ecosystems, preserving the natural wealth of our planet.

MORFO's December 12, 2023 webinar explored in depth two crucial aspects of forest restoration monitoring: the importance of monitoring in forest restoration and the integration of stakeholders and technology. During this webinar, speakers highlighted:

• The most common challenges and difficulties encountered in follow-up.
• Optimizing costs without compromising quality.
• technology and innovative monitoring methodologies.
• Remarkable case studies illustrating the impact of surveillance.
• Forecasts for the development of surveillance techniques and technology by 2030.

The webinar lasted an hour, allowing each speaker to share their perspective and research. It was a valuable opportunity not to be missed, and we thank you for your participation.

Speakers at the event included :

• Markus Gastauer, researcher in the Environmental Technology Group at the Vale Institute of Technology.
• Fátima Piña-Rodrigues, lecturer at the Federal University of São Carlos.
• Silvio Brienza Júnior, researcher at EMBRAPA.
• Rebecca Montemagni Almeida, forestry engineer at MORFO.

The two objectives of monitoring: to track changes and adapt the restoration process

The final MORFO webinar of 2023 opened with a lively debate on the crucial role of monitoring in forest restoration projects. Specialists unanimously recognized the importance of monitoring in measuring progress, guiding strategic decisions and stimulating innovation, underlining its significant impact on the environment in the long term.

Rebecca Montemagni Almeida, forestry engineer at MORFO, highlighted the value of monitoring in charting the direction of restoration and assessing the achievement of set objectives. She insisted on its decisive role in evaluating the methods employed, verifying the relevance of decisions taken and assessing their consequences. "This process is fundamental to ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of monitoring over the long term, as well as for a thorough understanding of the ecosystem and its functioning, which is essential for innovation and improvement in restoration practices."

Fatima Pina Rodriguez, lecturer at the Federal University of São Carlos - UFSCar, stressed the importance of adaptive management, illustrating the need to choose specific actions such as replanting or planting in targeted areas. She spoke of how such monitoring enables ecological cycles to be managed effectively, thus reinforcing the resilience, robustness, stability and reliability of the ecosystem.

Silvio Brienza Júnior, researcher at EMBRAPA, shared this vision, adding a note of optimism. He explained that monitoring is also a means of determining when restoration objectives have been achieved, enabling the various players involved to confidently declare, "We have fulfilled our commitments, applied our methods and management, and the project has been successfully completed."

Choosing the right indicators and defining the right scale: two challenges in a world of immensity

A crucial aspect addressed during our discussion was the challenges associated with monitoring, including the selection of relevant indicators and the monitoring of vast areas of restored land . Markus Gastauer, a researcher in the Environmental Technology Group at the Vale Institute of Technology, identified two major challenges for monitoring: "The first is to determine what we need to monitor, and the second, in short, is how we can measure them on a large scale". In fact, a multitude of indicators can be assessed: biodiversity, forest area, density of individuals per hectare, phytosociological parameters, among others. When considering fauna, including insects, birds and mammals of various sizes, the number of possible indicators runs into the hundreds, if not thousands. The central question is to choose which indicators best reflect the state of our restoration efforts and indicate whether the ecosystem is healthy, in need of improvement or in need of urgent intervention.

Added to these two challenges is the sheer size of the areas to be monitored . Markus Gastauer cites the example of Brazil: "Brazil has set itself ambitious forest restoration targets, aiming to restore between 20 and 30 million hectares. Given the scale of these objectives, carrying out a forest inventory or manually monitoring the density of forest cover over such large areas represents a major challenge. In this context, the adoption of innovative methods for remote monitoring becomes imperative."

To meet these challenges, the use of technology cutting-edge technologies such as drones and satellites is essential. These tools not only enable us to cover vast territories with great efficiency and precision, but also offer the advantage of collecting vital data with reduced ecological impact and at a lower cost than traditional methods. As such, they present themselves as key solutions for achieving Brazil's forest restoration objectives. The use of drones and artificial intelligence was particularly highlighted, underlining their crucial role in the precise monitoring of restored areas. Drones are recognized for their ability to provide high-resolution images, while artificial intelligence and machine learning are seen as promising tools for analyzing data and determining indicators of success.

"Drones offer detailed images, often surpassing those from satellites, enabling in-depth terrain analysis, crucial for monitoring plants and specific features. This data, combined with artificial intelligence, facilitates the development of algorithms for accurate plant accounting and eventually species identification." - Rebecca Montemagni Almeida, forestry engineer at MORFO.

Involving all stakeholders and integrating the best technologies

The second part of the webinar focused on stakeholder engagement and the use of technology to ensure the success of forest restoration projects. Several concrete examples were presented, highlighting the importance of involving local communities in these initiatives.

Initiatives such as agroforestry systems (FAS) were cited as outstanding examples of successful restoration. These cases highlight the crucial role of plant diversity in the rapid restoration of ecological functions. Silvio Brienza Júnior highlighted the importance of small-scale family farmers in Brazil, who own over 80% of the country's land. The major challenge lies in creating attractive restoration models for these farmers, not least because only 20% of the land in the Mata Atlântica and up to 50% to 80% in the Amazon is suitable for restoration. This illustrates the need to develop large-scale solutions adapted to these models.

Thesocio-economic approach to forest restoration was highlighted, emphasizing the need to create tangible benefits for rural communities. The complexity of this challenge was underlined, including the need for rigorous monitoring, judicious choice of restoration model and sustainable application to achieve environmental objectives. This recognition highlights the importance of actively involving smallholders in these initiatives, offering a sustainable approach to the protection and revitalization of affected ecosystems.

Follow-up efforts have significantly improved the success of these projects. Among the success stories mentioned, Fátima Piña-Rodrigues presented the Miyawaki project, inspired by the principles of Dr. Akira Miyawaki in Japan. Adapted and introduced in Brazil during Eco 92, this project was first tested on a small scale before being expanded. The Miyawaki model advocates high density and species diversity, focusing on high ecological function. This approach, revolutionary for its time, addressed concepts such as ecological functionality long before they became commonplace."

These changes provide better structuring and greater precision in the presentation of ideas, making the text more accessible and engaging.

"Applied at different scales, the Miyawaki model has been a revolution, particularly in Amazonia. Despite high initial costs, its short-term environmental benefits have been significant, supported by a solid scientific base, and the use of indicators has proved essential." - Fátima Piña-Rodrigues, teacher at UFSCar.

Monitoring is no longer a bonus, but a necessity

In conclusion, the final MORFO webinar of 2023 eloquently reaffirmed that forest restoration is a complex and nuanced undertaking, far beyond the simple planting of trees. It requires continuous vigilance, constant technological innovation and, above all, sustained commitment from all stakeholders, from local communities to global decision-makers.

It has become clear that monitoring is not just a complementary step, but a central pillar in assessing the health of restored forest ecosystems. The future of forest restoration lies in our ability to adapt our methods to future needs and to take advantage of technological advances, not only for monitoring, but also for stakeholder engagement and education.

As we move forward, the ideas and strategies presented in this webinar will serve as a foundation for years to come, guiding the global effort for a greener, healthier and more sustainable world. Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this vital discussion. Let's continue to work together to ensure that our forests thrive for future generations.

Watch the full webinar here for a deep dive into the knowledge shared by our experts: MORFO Forest Restoration Webinar.