New tool will aid international governments in developing restoration strategies

On the last day of the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD) Thematic Consultation on Ecosystem Restoration for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) and the Forest Ecosystem Restoration Initiative (FERI) released the Companion to the Short Term Action Plan on Ecosystem Restoration (STAPER). The Companion provides an introduction and guide to STAPER, and includes both a printable companion document and a web portal directing readers to relevant considerations, resources, and tools.

“The STAPER Companion report and website can support both preparations for and implementation of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The diverse case studies and examples bring restoration to life for those struggling with planning, implementation, or post-restoration monitoring.” Said David Cooper, Deputy Executive Secretary of the CBD.

Recognizing the extraordinary opportunity that ecosystem restoration created for addressing ecological, economic, and social issues, the United Nations CBD adopted the STAPER in 2016 at its 13^th Conference of the Parties; the purpose of the STAPER is to promote ecosystem restoration as an activity that not only mitigates and reverses degradation, but one that can also create social and economic benefits.

The STAPER provides step-by-step guidance to support governments in the development and implementation of restoration strategies. It is based on four main groups of activities, each of which contains multiple steps that can be used as a “menu of options.” The four main activities are:

A.   Assessment of opportunities for ecosystem restoration;

B.    Improving the institutional enabling environment for restoration;

C.    Planning and implementation of restoration activities; and

D.   Monitoring, evaluating, feedback, and disseminating results.

The Companion gives additional support to those interested in expanding restoration policies and practices. These additional resources include a print companion that highlights a diversity of tools, resources, and other considerations in the context of science and practice from around the world. The web portal provides access to a synthesis of considerations from restoration science and practice, and links to nearly 50 case studies included in SER’s Restoration Resource Center (RRC) with a curated list of additional resources. Those implementing projects and developing resources can also submit to have their work included as part of the STAPER examples in the RRC.

“SER is delighted to partner with the CBD and FERI to integrate and expand the use of the Restoration Resource Center and its more than 2000 resources and more than 300 projects. We look forward to receiving more submissions for Resource Center, too, now that the STAPER Companion in complete and publicly available,” said Alexis Gibson, SER’s program Manager.

SER will be hosting a webinar on February 11, 2020, on the Companion.Watch our home page for more information.