The African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) is one of the most ambitious restoration initiatives that contribute to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (UN Decade). 34 African countries have pledged to restore over 120 million hectares of land. Numerous organizations are actively working to achieve these goals, many of them focusing on Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR).
This year, the Restoration Academy offered its fifth opportunity for a diverse group of stakeholders—including NGOs, governments, indigenous organizations, and farmers' cooperatives—to come together, share knowledge, and learn about the latest developments and actions of the UN Decade.
From June 17th to 19th, nearly 90 participants joined the Restoration Academy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania which was held back-to-back with the 8th Annual Partnership Meeting of the AFR100 (APM8). Co-organized by Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammeanarbeit (GIZ), the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), which acts as the AFR100’s Secretary, and the Tanzanian Forest Service Agency (TFS), it featured a two-day workshop and a full-day field trip.
On the first day, the Restoration Academy kicked-off with opening remarks from AUDA-NEPAD, TFS and GIZ. This was followed by a session on best practices, highlighting the Principles For Ecosystem Restoration To Guide The United Nations Decade 2021-2030 and introducing knowledge platforms like Panorama.
The second part of the day explored how scientific research can guide effective implementation. After presentations from ZALF, Wetlands International, CIFOR-ICRAF, and AFR100, participants discussed this question themselves in a World Café setting.
An Open Space allowed participants to address other restoration-related topics relevant to their work.
Day two started with addressing the importance of gender-transformative approaches in ecosystem restoration. After AUDA-NEPAD introduced the concept, participants worked on case studies to gain a deeper understanding. The fourth session, hosted by Justdiggit and LEAD Foundation, introduced methods for effectively communicating ecosystem restoration efforts.
Additionally, a gallery fair allowed participants to present posters about their organizations and work.
On 19th of June the Restoration Academy Tanzania ended with a field trip to the Pugu Kazimzumbwi Nature Forest Reserve. Here, TFS provided insights on their tree nursery management and FLR approach which includes connecting the restoration of water catchments for water security with the development of ecotourism.
The day after the field trip, the APM8 commenced (June 20-22 2024) and provided ample opportunities for focal points from all 34 AFR100 countries to exchange ideas and receive updates on monitoring efforts, funding opportunities, and policy issues.
Restoration Academy participants continue their learning journey through three more virtual sessions. While the first session picked up on the topic of best practices again and offered an in-depth introduction to the Panorama platform, the second and third sessions cover the additional topics of ecosystem restoration monitoring and funding options. After the final session, participants can stay connected through a lively alumni network.
The Restoration Academy Tanzania is jointly organized and hosted by the projects “Support for the design and implementation of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration” (DEER) which is funded through the German International Climate Initiative (IKI) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and the “Global project on forest landscape restoration and good governance in the forest sector” (Forests4Future) which is implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) as well as the regional project “Alliance for large scale ecosystem restoration in Africa” (AREECA) which is implemented by a GIZ-led consortium on behalf of BMUV and funded through IKI.
The Restoration Academy Tanzania is co-hosted by the African Union Development Agency - NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) through the AFR100 Initiative and the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS).
This year the Restoration Academy offered an open call for applications for the first time, which was met with great interest from nearly 2000 applicants. All information on the content, session designs, and methods of the Restoration Academy will soon be available on the UN Decade webpage in an open-source format. UN Decade partners interested in using the materials to run their own Academy, can access the information there or contact [email protected] until the end of September 2024.
Previous editions of the Restoration Academy have taken place in El Salvador, Rwanda and Nigeria. The next Restoration Academy is planned to take place in India and will be conducted jointly by the GIZ projects DEER and Restore, Conserve and Protect Forest and Tree Cover for NDC Implementation in India (RECAP4NDC).
This article is originally by Lena Green and Ida Lobkowicz, GIZ
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, led by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and its partners, covers terrestrial as well as coastal and marine ecosystems. As a global call to action, it will draw together political support, scientific research and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration. Find out how you can contribute to the UN Decade. Follow #GenerationRestoration.