Ecosystem degradation has reached the far corners of our planet from our precious rainforests to our priceless reefs. Irresponsible human activities have caused and exacerbated our climate crisis and ecosystem degradation, forcing us to cope with biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, dramatic weather events, and more. A recent UN report found that more than 75% of the earth's terrestrial areas are substantially degraded. This has had a huge impact on biodiversity, human health, and economic well-being. But there is hope. Individuals around the world, like you, are rallying around our planet and searching for solutions to our biggest environmental impacts.

IUCN has put together the "Community Organizing Toolkit on Ecosystem Restoration" to equip you, as change-makers, with the tools, knowledge, and resources necessary to restore your ecosystems back to productive, and healthy spaces. In this toolkit, we will walk you through the importance of community organizing, offer some potential aspects of your project, present successful examples of community-organized restoration and then clue you into the wealth of tools including online and financial resources. By the end of this toolkit, you'll be ready to take action and restore your local ecosystem.

It is important to note that this toolkit is for everyone, from the individual looking to restore their backyard or block, to the existing nonprofit looking to make lasting change in their region. Whatever your needs or obstacles may be, where you are in your restoration journey, or what your ultimate goals are, this toolkit will help you take action.