A proposed framework for participatory forest restoration in semiarid areas of North Africa

Abstract

Ecological restoration is a suitable tool to revert land degradation in semiarid areas. Social participation is increasingly considered as a guarantee for the long‐term success and sustainability of restoration projects. In rural areas of North African countries, experiences of participatory restoration are still not frequent, and poverty and illiteracy with top‐down approaches boost land‐use conflicts and raise skepticism toward restoration programs. We developed a framework for forest restoration based on knowledge share, trust, and active stakeholder participation in all restoration steps. The framework was tested through a demonstrative project aimed at restoring Tetraclinis articulata forests in a semiarid area of North Morocco, in which scientists, managers, and local stakeholders were involved in all steps of the restoration process: identification of restoration priorities, assessment of land‐use options, definition of the restoration procedure, participatory plantation, evaluation, surveillance, and monitoring. In a 1 ha plot, 250 plants were planted by 90 participants in a spirit of knowledge exchange, mutual aid, environmental education, and social solidarity. After 2 years, the plot remains intact, free of any act of vandalism and grazing, and shows signals of improved ecosystem functioning. A wider application of the proposed framework in current restoration strategies will enhance our understanding of the factors behind social acceptance and support for restoration projects.

Putting the pieces together: Integration for forest landscape restoration implementation

“…At the same time, local priorities and uses also need to be addressed; many restoration projects have failed to consider locally valued species. For example, in Morocco's Béni Boufrah valley, residents opposed large‐scale reforestation with pine species, whereas they embraced projects that used locally valued species such as barbary red cedar ( Tetraclinis articulata ) and mastic ( Pistacia lentiscus ), which resulted in higher success rates (Derak, Cortina, Taiqui, & Aledo, ). Thus, different stakeholders within and beyond the landscape will have different objectives for restoration, and these need to be negotiated and reconciled as part of the FLR implementation plan if the effort is to be sustainable.…”

Behavior change and sustainability of ecological restoration projects

“…Behavior change has been considered in some restoration projects, although the measurement of this parameter was not the primary objective of the study. For instance, there are studies reporting positive behavioral changes bolstering restoration activities, such as an absence of vandalism on the restoration site (Derak et al ). Prado et al () have reported positive effects of land conservation schemes on land owners' attitudes and engagement, over time.…”

Integrating co‐production and functional trait approaches for inclusive and scalable restoration solutions

“…Co-production, like participatory action and community-based research, is a process for bringing together diverse groups of scientists and practitioners to iteratively create new knowledge and practice (Norström et al, 2020). While co-production has a long history in agriculture research (e.g., Rocheleau, 1991;Scoones & Thompson, 1994), application of this approach is relatively sparse in native ecosystem restoration research (Derak, Cortina, Taiqui, & Aledo, 2018;Lazos-Chavero et al, 2016). Practicing co-production in a restoration context, however, can improve implementation.…”