Restore, Conserve and Protect Forest and Tree Cover for NDC Implementation in India (RECAP4NDC)

Project Name :   Restore Conserve and Protect Forest and Tree Cover for NDC Implementation in India

Forests and Natural Carbon Sinks
July-September | 2024

Description

RESTORATION ACADEMY INDIA

To align actions with the UN Decade and contribute to the #GenerationRestoration movement, Restore, Conserve and Protect Forest and Tree Cover for NDC Implementation in India (RECAP4NDC) joined forces with Support for the design and implementation of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (DEER) project, which supports the implementation of the UN Decade, to bring the Restoration Academy to Ahmedabad, India. The Academy brought together diverse experts, practitioners and advocates for Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) to discuss FLR approaches and learn about the UN Decade.

From August 21st to 23rd August 2024 participants from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India (MoEF&CC), the State Forest Departments (SFDs) of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan as well as the RECAP4NDC consortium partners participated in the Academy workshop for peer advice, coaching and knowledge exchange.

• On the first day, participants were introduced to the UN Decade and analysed and discussed FLR concepts. The Academy focused on ecosystem restoration and FLR, emphasising its integrated approach across entire landscapes involving multiple land uses, stakeholders, and governance systems. The UN Decade World Restoration Flagship “Restoring Mediterranean Forests” joined virtually to share their experiences with forest restoration after wildfires.
• Day two kicked-off with a focus on funding for ecosystem restoration. After an overview of the work done by the UN Decade Finance Task Force, the Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF) shared insights on linking value chain development with landscape scale restoration in the Western Ghats in India.
• The final day began with the question: How can we communicate the actions and impact of ecosystem restoration? LEAD Foundation, provided insights into their communication approaches to effectively disseminate restoration efforts in rural communities in Tanzania.

The Restoration Academy India was jointly organised and hosted by the projects DEER and RECAP4NDC which are both funded through the  International Climate Initiative (IKI).

This was the 6th edition of the Restoration Academy and previous editions of the Academy have taken place in El Salvador, Rwanda, Nigeria and Tanzania. A more detailed insight into the Restoration Academy India is available on the UN Decade webpage Restoration Academy India (decadeonrestoration.org).

During the site visit to the Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary near Ahmedabad, participants learned about restoration activities undertaken at the Ramsar site to ensure the conservation of migratory

Group picture of the Restoration Academy held in Ahmedabad, India from 21st - 23rd of August 2024. © GIZ India/RECAP4NDC

During an Open Space, participants set their own agenda and discuss aspects of ecosystem restoration relevant to their work. © GIZ India/RECAP4NDC