Ensuring the availability of seeds and seedlings from a range of tree species is crucial to meet global targets on the restoration of degraded forests and landscapes, according to a new forestry working paper from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.
Currently, there are not enough site-adapted, genetically diverse tree seeds and seedlings to achieve forests and landscape restoration on the scale that is being planned, explains the working paper, « Delivering tree genetic resources in forest and landscape restoration: A guide to ensuring local and global impact ».
When tree species are used that are not suited to a particular environment, or when too many seeds or seedlings of the same species or from a single source are used in restoration projects, the trees are less likely to thrive. Lack of suitable seeds and seedlings is already resulting in delays, increased costs or in some cases the failure of restoration projects, the paper says.
Case study 11 of the document is devoted to the promotion of food tree species in forest and landscape restoration in Burkina Faso.