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Land
Special Issues
Recent Progress in Forest Restoration
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Recent Progress in Forest Restoration

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2022) | Viewed by 19983

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jorge Mongil-Manso

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Forest, Water & Soil Research Group, Catholic University of Ávila, 64145 Ávila, Spain
Interests: forest restoration; forest hydrology; erosion and desertification
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Joaquín Navarro Hevia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture and Forest Engineering, University of Valladolid, 47002 Valladolid, Spain
Interests: erosion control; forest and hydrological restoration; bioengineering
Prof. Dr. Ilan Stavi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Dead-Sea and Arava Science Center, Tamar Regional Council, Yotvata 88820, Israel
Interests: ecohydrology; food security; geo-ecology; land use change; surface process
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forest ecosystems generate important ecosystem services and benefits, such as the conservation of biodiversity, the mitigation of climate change, and the regulation of hydrological processes. However, extensive forest lands have been degraded across the world. The restoration of these lands should be of high priority. Research and innovation in the topic of forest restoration are therefore urgent.

Advances in forest science and ecology have made it possible to improve restoration techniques—in particular, in terms of the choice of species to be used, nursery cultivation, conservation of forest genetic resources, and site preparation and implantation methods, among others. New forest restoration strategies (at the stand and landscape scale) must address issues such as the formation of microenvironments that are more favorable for the survival and development of seedlings, improved efficiency in the use of natural processes (nature-based solutions), the optimization of hydrological processes, and self-protection of the forests against fires.

This Special Issue seeks to bring together articles that present recent advances in these and other issues related to the restoration of forest ecosystems. We find the following topics particularly interesting:

  • Climate-adaptive forest restoration and reforestation;
  • Forest restoration and carbon sequestration;
  • Causes of restoration and reforestation failures vs. success;
  • "Lessons learned" in historic forest restorations;
  • Effects of forest restoration on biodiversity and genetic diversity;
  • Species selection in the lights of climate change;
  • Influence of forest restoration on forest–water–soil relationships;
  • Forest restoration and soil conservation;
  • Development of innovative seeding and planting techniques;
  • Forest-related ecosystem services;
  • Socio-ecological aspects in forestry.

Prof. Dr. Jorge Mongil-Manso
Prof. Dr. Joaquín Navarro Hevia
Prof. Ilan Stavi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • forest ecosystems
  • forest restoration
  • forest soils
  • reforestation
  • site preparation
  • tree planting
  • vegetation-water-soil relationships

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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27 pages, 2108 KiB  
Article
Forest Landscape Restoration Legislation and Policy: A Canadian Perspective
by Nicolas Mansuy, Hyejin Hwang, Ritikaa Gupta, Christa Mooney, Barbara Kishchuk and Eric Higgs
Land 2022, 11(10), 1747; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101747 - 09 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2426
Abstract
Restoring degraded ecosystems is an urgent policy priority to regain ecological integrity, advance sustainable land use management, and mitigate climate change. This study examined current legislation and policies supporting forest landscape restoration (FLR) in Canada to assess its capacity to advance restoration planning [...] Read more.
Restoring degraded ecosystems is an urgent policy priority to regain ecological integrity, advance sustainable land use management, and mitigate climate change. This study examined current legislation and policies supporting forest landscape restoration (FLR) in Canada to assess its capacity to advance restoration planning and efforts. First, a literature review was performed to assess the policy dimension of FLR globally and across Canada. Then, a Canada-wide policy scan using national databases was conducted. While published research on ecological restoration has increased exponentially in Canada and globally since the early 1990s, our results showed that the policy dimensions of FLR remain largely under documented in the scientific literature, despite their key role in implementing effective restoration measures on the ground. Our analyses have identified over 200 policy instruments and show that Canada has developed science-based FLR policies and best practices driven by five main types of land use and extraction activities: (1) mining and oil and gas activities; (2) sustainable forest management; (3) environmental impact assessment; (4) protected areas and parks; and (5) protection and conservation of species at risk. Moreover, FLR policies have been recently added to the national climate change mitigation agenda as part of the nature-based solutions and the net-zero emission strategy. Although a pioneer in restoration, we argue that Canada can take a more targeted and proactive approach in advancing its restoration agenda in order to cope with a changing climate and increased societal demands for ecosystem services and Indigenous rights. Considering the multifunctional values of the landscape, the science–policy interface is critical to transform policy aspirations into realizable and quantifiable targets in conjunction with other land-use objectives and values. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Forest Restoration)
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23 pages, 4778 KiB  
Article
Impact of Land Use Change and Afforestation on Soil Properties in a Mediterranean Mountain Area of Central Spain
by Jorge Mongil-Manso, Joaquín Navarro-Hevia and Roberto San Martín
Land 2022, 11(7), 1043; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11071043 - 09 Jul 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2852
Abstract
Afforestation can improve hydrological processes, such as infiltration, in basins and, therefore, reduce the impact on human populations of floods, soil erosion, landslides, droughts, and climate variation. The aim of this work was to analyze how afforestation and other changes in land use [...] Read more.
Afforestation can improve hydrological processes, such as infiltration, in basins and, therefore, reduce the impact on human populations of floods, soil erosion, landslides, droughts, and climate variation. The aim of this work was to analyze how afforestation and other changes in land use influence infiltrability and the evolution of soils. Infiltration rates, soil water repellency, and physical and chemical properties of sandy loam soils were measured in four types of land: native holm oak forest, afforested 20-year-old pine forest, shrubs, and grasslands. Non-forest covers are the result of the degradation of native oak forests for centuries, while the pine afforestation in this study took place on a perennial wet mountain pasture (cervunalito). Our results show that soil infiltration rates are much higher in pine afforestation areas (857.67 mm·h−1) than in holm oak forest (660.67 mm·h−1), grasslands (280.00 mm·h−1), or shrubs (271.67 mm·h−1). No statistically significant differences in fertility, organic matter content, bulk density, or effective porosity were found between afforestation areas and other types of cover; however, pine afforestation improved the drainage of the soil, as its infiltration rate was higher than that of the native holm oak forest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Forest Restoration)
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13 pages, 2988 KiB  
Article
Toward Identifying Alternatives to Fencing for Forest Restoration: Tube Shelters Outperform Mesh Shelters for Deer Browse Protection of Live Oak, Quercus virginiana
by Emily C. Thyroff, Owen T. Burney, Juan A. Oliet, Caleb H. Redick and Douglass F. Jacobs
Land 2022, 11(7), 966; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11070966 - 23 Jun 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1977
Abstract
Herbivory is a common forest regeneration challenge across ecosystems. While fencing effectively reduces animal browse damage, it can be impractical. Tree shelters are an alternative forest restoration tool to protect seedlings from herbivory that may also provide a favorable microclimate. Yet, regeneration responses [...] Read more.
Herbivory is a common forest regeneration challenge across ecosystems. While fencing effectively reduces animal browse damage, it can be impractical. Tree shelters are an alternative forest restoration tool to protect seedlings from herbivory that may also provide a favorable microclimate. Yet, regeneration responses to tree shelters often vary among tree species, environmental conditions, and shelter specifications. To restore the once dominant Quercus virginiana (live oak) and its associated conservation values to subtropical U.S. maritime forests, control of animal browsing is critical. We evaluated the effects of tube and mesh tree shelters to exclude animal browse, combined with the use of controlled-release fertilizer to promote Q. virginiana seedling growth. After two growing seasons, mean seedling survival was 83% for protected seedlings, either from tube or mesh shelters, compared to 68% with non-sheltered seedlings. Seedlings in solid-wall tube shelters had significantly less browse incidence compared to both seedlings in mesh shelters and non-sheltered seedlings. Seedlings in tube shelters had greater height and diameter, followed by mesh shelters, and lastly, the no shelter treatment. Fertilizer resulted in higher browsing incidence and greater seedling height and diameter after the first growing season only, with no shelter treatment interactions. Our findings illustrate the efficacy of tree shelters to improve early regeneration success of Q. virginiana and may have application to the restoration of other forest ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Forest Restoration)
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14 pages, 729 KiB  
Article
Early Response of Soil Properties under Different Restoration Strategies in Tropical Hotspot
by Katarzyna A. Koryś, Agnieszka E. Latawiec, Maiara S. Mendes, Jerônimo B. B. Sansevero, Aline F. Rodrigues, Alvaro S. Iribarrem, Viviane Dib, Catarina C. Jakovac, Adriana Allek, Ingrid A. B. Pena, Eric Lino and Bernardo B. N. Strassburg
Land 2021, 10(8), 768; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10080768 - 21 Jul 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2418
Abstract
The Brazilian Atlantic Forest has undergone adverse land-use change due to deforestation for urbanization and agriculture. Numerous restoration initiatives have been taken to restore its ecosystem services. Deforested areas have been restored through active intervention or natural regeneration. Understanding the impact of those [...] Read more.
The Brazilian Atlantic Forest has undergone adverse land-use change due to deforestation for urbanization and agriculture. Numerous restoration initiatives have been taken to restore its ecosystem services. Deforested areas have been restored through active intervention or natural regeneration. Understanding the impact of those different reforestation approaches on soil quality should provide important scientific and practical conclusions on increasing forest cover in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome. However, studies evaluating active planting versus natural regeneration in terms of soil recovery are scarce. We evaluate soil dynamics under those two contrasting strategies at an early stage (<10 years). Reforestation was conducted simultaneously on degraded lands previously used for cattle grazing and compared to an abandoned pasture as a reference system. We examined soil physicochemical properties such as: pH, soil organic matter content, soil moisture, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Cu, Al, and soil texture. We also present the costs of both methods. We found significant differences in restored areas regarding pH, Na, Fe, Mn content, and the cost. Soil moisture was significantly higher in pasture. Our research can contribute to better decision-making about which restoration strategy to adopt to maximize restoration success regarding soil quality and ecosystem services in the tropics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Forest Restoration)
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Review

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37 pages, 1870 KiB  
Review
Tropical Forest Landscape Restoration in Indonesia: A Review
by Yonky Indrajaya, Tri Wira Yuwati, Sri Lestari, Bondan Winarno, Budi Hadi Narendra, Hunggul Yudono Setio Hadi Nugroho, Dony Rachmanadi, Pratiwi, Maman Turjaman, Rahardyan Nugroho Adi, Endang Savitri, Pamungkas Buana Putra, Purwanto Budi Santosa, Nunung Puji Nugroho, Sigit Andy Cahyono, Reni Setyo Wahyuningtyas, Retno Prayudyaningsih, Wawan Halwany, Mohamad Siarudin, Ary Widiyanto, Marcellinus Mandira Budi Utomo, Sumardi, Aji Winara, Tien Wahyuni and Daniel Mendhamadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Land 2022, 11(3), 328; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11030328 - 23 Feb 2022
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 8907
Abstract
Indonesia has the second-largest biodiversity of any country in the world. Deforestation and forest degradation have caused a range of environmental issues, including habitat degradation and loss of biodiversity, deterioration of water quality and quantity, air pollution, and increased greenhouse gas emissions that [...] Read more.
Indonesia has the second-largest biodiversity of any country in the world. Deforestation and forest degradation have caused a range of environmental issues, including habitat degradation and loss of biodiversity, deterioration of water quality and quantity, air pollution, and increased greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Forest restoration at the landscape level has been conducted to balance ecological integrity and human well-being. Forest restoration efforts are also aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and are closely related to Indonesia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) from the forestry sector. The purpose of this paper is to examine the regulatory, institutional, and policy aspects of forest restoration in Indonesia, as well as the implementation of forest restoration activities in the country. The article was written using a synoptic review approach to Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR)-related articles and national experiences. Failures, success stories, and criteria and indicators for forest restoration success are all discussed. We also discuss the latest silvicultural techniques for the success of the forest restoration program. Restoration governance in Indonesia has focused on the wetland ecosystem such as peatlands and mangroves, but due to the severely degraded condition of many forests, the government has by necessity opted for active restoration involving the planting and establishment of livelihood options. The government has adapted its restoration approach from the early focus on ecological restoration to more forest landscape restoration, which recognizes that involving the local community in restoration activities is critical for the success of forest restoration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Forest Restoration)
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