The challenge of participatory restoration in rural areas

Abstract

Restoration is a prominent field of research and of restoration projects that seek to recover degraded and dysfunctional ecosystems and the services they provide. Humanity’s environmental crisis has increased awareness of the urgent need to conserve ecosystems and their biodiversity. Many countries and international organizations have set ambitious plans and restoration targets. This paper emphasizes on current themes such as landscape restoration, invasive species, novel ecosystems, and the necessary involvement of local communities in ecological restoration. It is focused mainly on tropical forest ecosystems. Another aim of this paper is a review of the results obtained in diverse restoration practices that concentrate on inducing secondary succession processes in tropical forests. It draws heavily on case studies from Mexico. Members of society should play an active role in restoration planning and implementation. Social participation is central to the success and sustainability of restoration projects. Traditional ecological knowledge is essential in many projects, and there should be careful consideration of the ethics involved. In the coming years, we will probably see a surge in the unassisted revegetation and reforestation of many abandoned rural areas making the understanding and managing of these restoration processes necessary and crucial. Finally, a set of guidelines that view restoration as a long-term social and ecological process is given.