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Revisiting the Factors Shaping Outcomes for Forest and Landscape Restoration in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Way Forward for Policy, Practice and Research

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  • Ida Nadia S. Djenontin

    (Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences (GESS), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
    Environmental Science and Policy Program (ESPP), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA)

  • Samson Foli

    (Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies and Centre for Sustainable Development Studies, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 15629 Amsterdam, 1001 NC, The Netherlands)

  • Leo C. Zulu

    (Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences (GESS), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA)

Abstract

A lack of systematic understanding of the elements that determine the success of forest and landscape restoration (FLR) investments leads to the inability to clearly articulate strategic and practical approaches to support natural resource restoration endeavors across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This review examines the different challenges and opportunities for effective restoration interventions. Using a structured literature review, we draw evidence from a broad range of scholarly works on natural resource conservation and governance to investigate the early dynamics of FLR in SSA. We first engage in a contextual clarification of FLR concepts and then provide a synthesis of the factors that influence the results of FLR interventions at the social and institutional level to inform relevant restoration stakeholders—policy makers, investors, and practitioners. The review finds that several interacting factors shape the outcomes of FLR interventions. We classified them into three categories based on their features, intensity, and scale of occurrence: (1) micro-scale factors that enable or limit individual engagement in FLR and sustainable management practices; (2) project/program-level factors, including the design and implementation stages; and (3) institutional, policy, and governance factors, and issues of inequity that operate at the local or national government scale. The review goes beyond underscoring funding constraints as a major challenge to the up- and out-scaling of restoration interventions and FLR success. The findings also set out a premise for future research to guide the design and implementation of successful FLR models in SSA.

Suggested Citation

  • Ida Nadia S. Djenontin & Samson Foli & Leo C. Zulu, 2018. "Revisiting the Factors Shaping Outcomes for Forest and Landscape Restoration in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Way Forward for Policy, Practice and Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-34, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:4:p:906-:d:137333
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    2. Schweizer, Daniella & Meli, Paula & Brancalion, Pedro H.S. & Guariguata, Manuel R., 2021. "Implementing forest landscape restoration in Latin America: Stakeholder perceptions on legal frameworks," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    3. Djenontin, Ida Nadia S. & Zulu, Leo C. & Richardson, Robert B., 2022. "Smallholder farmers and forest landscape restoration in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Central Malawi," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    4. Ida Nadia S. Djenontin & Leo C. Zulu & Arika Ligmann-Zielinska, 2020. "Improving Representation of Decision Rules in LUCC-ABM: An Example with an Elicitation of Farmers’ Decision Making for Landscape Restoration in Central Malawi," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-35, July.
    5. Esther Reith & Elizabeth Gosling & Thomas Knoke & Carola Paul, 2020. "How Much Agroforestry Is Needed to Achieve Multifunctional Landscapes at the Forest Frontier?—Coupling Expert Opinion with Robust Goal Programming," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-27, July.
    6. Ricardo Gomes César & Loren Belei & Carolina Giudice Badari & Ricardo A. G. Viani & Victoria Gutierrez & Robin L. Chazdon & Pedro H. S. Brancalion & Carla Morsello, 2020. "Forest and Landscape Restoration: A Review Emphasizing Principles, Concepts, and Practices," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-22, December.
    7. Rana, Pushpendra & Miller, Daniel C., 2021. "Predicting the long-term social and ecological impacts of tree-planting programs: Evidence from northern India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    8. Reed, James & Ickowitz, Amy & Chervier, Colas & Djoudi, Houria & Moombe, Kaala & Ros-Tonen, Mirjam & Yanou, Malaika & Yuliani, Linda & Sunderland, Terry, 2020. "Integrated landscape approaches in the tropics: A brief stock-take," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    9. Djenontin, Ida N.S. & Zulu, Leo C., 2021. "The quest for context-relevant governance of agro-forest landscape restoration in Central Malawi: Insights from local processes," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).

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