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Grasslands and savannahs in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
Author(s) -
Dudley Nigel,
Eufemia Luca,
Fleckenstein Martina,
Periago Maria E.,
Petersen Ilka,
Timmers Jean F.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
restoration ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1526-100X
pISSN - 1061-2971
DOI - 10.1111/rec.13272
Subject(s) - ecosystem , grassland , biodiversity , restoration ecology , afforestation , ecosystem services , agroforestry , incentive , environmental resource management , grassland ecosystem , environmental science , ecology , geography , environmental protection , biology , economics , microeconomics
Grasslands and savannahs are suffering heavy losses from degradation and conversion. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration offers important opportunities to address these losses through a range of restoration techniques. However, if poorly planned, the Decade could undermine some remaining natural and semi‐natural grassland and savannah ecosystems by encouraging afforestation on these areas, thus acting as a perverse incentive. This article outlines the main issues and steps needed to ensure that the Decade creates positive outcomes for these important and highly biodiverse ecosystems: (1) better understanding of status and trends in degraded and converted grasslands and savannahs; (2) making the case for grassland and savannah restoration at both national and international levels; (3) ensuring post‐2020 biodiversity conservation targets address all natural ecosystems; (4) improving selection tools for restoration to avoid displacing valuable ecosystems; and (5) identifying successful grassland and savannah restoration approaches that address ecological, cultural, and social needs.