TY - JOUR

T1 - Urgent need for updating the slogan of global climate actions from 'tree planting' to 'restore native vegetation'

AU - Tölgyesi, Csaba

AU - Buisson, Elise

AU - Helm, Aveliina

AU - Temperton, Vicky

AU - Török, Péter

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Society for Ecological Restoration.

PY - 2022/3/1

Y1 - 2022/3/1

N2 - The prevailing nature-based solution to tackle climate change is tree planting. However, there is growing evidence that it has serious contraindications in many regions. The main shortcoming of global tree planting is its awareness disparity to alternative ecosystem types, mainly grasslands. Grasslands, where they constitute the natural vegetation, may support higher biodiversity and a safer, soil-locked carbon stock than plantations and other forests. We suggest replacing “tree planting” by “restore native vegetation.” This improved action terminology reduces the risks of inappropriate afforestation and, by diversifying target ecosystem types, does not reduce but increases potential land area for nature-based climate mitigation.

AB - The prevailing nature-based solution to tackle climate change is tree planting. However, there is growing evidence that it has serious contraindications in many regions. The main shortcoming of global tree planting is its awareness disparity to alternative ecosystem types, mainly grasslands. Grasslands, where they constitute the natural vegetation, may support higher biodiversity and a safer, soil-locked carbon stock than plantations and other forests. We suggest replacing “tree planting” by “restore native vegetation.” This improved action terminology reduces the risks of inappropriate afforestation and, by diversifying target ecosystem types, does not reduce but increases potential land area for nature-based climate mitigation.

KW - Ecosystems Research

KW - afforestation

KW - biodiversity loss

KW - climate mitigation

KW - EU Biodiversity Strategy

KW - forest restoration

KW - grassland restoration

KW - tree planting

KW - Bonn Challenge

KW - Trillion trees

KW - afforestation

KW - biodiversity loss

KW - Bonn Challenge

KW - climate mitigation

KW - EU Biodiversity Strategy

KW - forest restoration

KW - grassland restoration

KW - tree planting

KW - Trillion Trees

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85119999129&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/855f505d-75b8-3ffd-babc-255a61a4f0c3/

U2 - 10.1111/rec.13594

DO - 10.1111/rec.13594

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 30

JO - Restoration Ecology

JF - Restoration Ecology

SN - 1061-2971

IS - 3

M1 - e13594

ER -