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What is the importance of forest ecosystems? How big is the issue with forest degradation? Which solutions exist and are being applied today?

Check our selection of videos, interviews with experts and practitioners or our short explainers, to get the answers to these and other questions.

We’ve selected information from specialist sources, adapted for a non-specialist audience, with text, images and videos. For those interested in learning more or in going directly to the source of the information, please follow the links we provide. This information can be used and shared freely.

Remember: Trees offer a natural mechanism to help lowering the amount of atmospheric CO2 , a global challenge. At the same time, mature trees generate many other important benefits – some of which are critical for our societies and livelihoods – pretty much for free.

This video from WRI’s Global Restoration Initiative provides a good overview of the issue and their initiative to restore degraded landscapes and forests worldwide, together with governments and international partners.

Videos

Explore our selection of educational videos

Ecosystem services

An introduction to Ecosystem Services

A nice introduction to the different types of Ecosystem Services and how biodiversity and intact ecosystems contribute to our life quality and security.

Source: California Academy of Sciences

Agroforestry, Palm oil

Palm oil in Indonesia

Can palm oil really be produced without causing deforestation? In Indonesia, the global top producer, palm oil is one of the main drivers of deforestation in the country. But palm oil is also a critical industry, involving small farmers & multinational companies, governments and international investors. As this video shows, any attempt to improve the current situation must deal with all these levels and realities.

Source: The Forests Dialogue

Ecosystem services, Kids

Forests: Nature at your Service

An animated short film about the importance of forests in our lives. Produced for the United Nation Environment Programme on World Environment Day 2011 and narrated by David Attenborough.

Source: United Nation Environment Programme

Voices

Our interviews with experts and practitioners in restoration, and on the integration of trees in urban environments

Voices

Restoration, Switzerland, Urban green

Verena Guran-Fierz

Founder and President – Reforestation World Association

What motivates a “normal” person to start an organisation like Reforestation World? And why are trees important?

Voices

Urban green

Naomi Zürcher – Arbor Aegis

Urban Forester and Consulting Arborist

How should we define – and care for – urban trees, in a way that respects their nature and ensures that we can benefit the most from healthy urban forests?

Voices

Urban green

Heinz Vögeli – EPI

Head of Real Estate – Swiss EPI

When green areas are seen as a added value: the perspective from a real estate manager on the integration of green areas with a long-term horizon in a large property in a prime location in Zurich.

Voices

Ecosystem services, Restoration

Robin Chazdon and Sarah Wilson

Forestoration International

Robin Chazdon and Sarah Wilson are two researchers with a long experience in ecological restoration and conservation. Their work links academia and practice across a wide range of ecosystems and human systems, keeping an holistic perspective on different approaches, opportunities and issues.

Voices

Restoration

Chris Reij

Senior Fellow at the World Resources Institute

Lessons from a top expert with several decades of experience on land restoration, in Africa and elsewhere, and a system-wide perspective on the topic.

Voices

Amazing facts, Natural regeneration

Tony Rinaudo

Principal Advisor Natural Resources at World Vision Australia

The father of one of the most impactful reforestation techniques shares his decade-long experience on how to get farmer communities to succcessfully regrow – not plant – millions of trees.

Voices

Restoration

Alex Rübel

Former Director of Zurich Zoo

Learnings from the Zoo’s experience with reforestation efforts and community involvement in Madagascar.

Quick Guides

Short explainers for key concepts

Quick guides

Initiatives and organisations in action

Around the world, many initiatives and organisations are working to restore forest ecosystems and their functions, while ensuring a sustainable use by people. Corresponding to the global dimension of this issue, the commitments for planting or restoring are bigger than ever before. Who is carrying this work and which challenges are there?

Quick guides

Deforestation: the issue and the causes

The amount and type of forest cover has changed over time, both for natural and man-made reasons. In which way are people affecting forest ecosystems and are there any signs of recovery?

Quick guides

The basi(c)s

Our view of nature has changed over time and even nowadays has very strong differences around the world. How do we define the usefulness and value of nature?