Forests are among the world’s most important ecosystems, providing habitats for wildlife, protecting soils, storing carbon and supporting the livelihoods of millions of people.
Yet forests continue to face pressure from agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, fires, logging and other forms of land-use change.
Forest restoration has therefore become an important part of environmental efforts worldwide.
Restoration, however, is about more than simply planting trees. A healthy forest contains different plant species, layers of vegetation and complex ecological relationships that support wildlife and maintain ecosystem functions.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says restoring forests and landscapes can support biodiversity, climate adaptation, food security and rural resilience. Its 2026 forest assessment highlights restoration as a way to rebuild ecological functions while supporting communities. (FAOHome)
FAO Forestry Director Mette Wilkie has emphasized that restoration goes beyond tree planting.
“Forest and landscape restoration is about much more than trees.”
Wilkie said restoration also has social and economic benefits, including improving human well-being and livelihoods while supporting biodiversity and climate action. (FAOHome)
Forests also influence water systems. Vegetation can help stabilize soil, reduce erosion and regulate the movement of water through landscapes. Forest protection can therefore contribute to the health of watersheds that supply communities and cities.
Biodiversity is another major reason forests matter. Forest ecosystems provide food, shelter and breeding areas for birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and countless other organisms.
When forests are fragmented, wildlife populations can become isolated. Restoring connections between forest areas can create corridors that allow animals to move between habitats.
However, restoration projects need to reflect local ecological conditions. Planting a single tree species across large areas may not reproduce the biodiversity of a natural forest.
“Farmer-led restoration across the continent is reviving soils, storing carbon and rebuilding rural economies from the ground up.”
Native species and locally appropriate restoration methods can help improve ecological outcomes.
Local communities are also central to successful restoration. People living near forests may depend on them for food, fuel, medicine and income. Conservation programs that fail to consider these needs can face difficulties over time.
Agroforestry provides one possible approach by combining trees with crops or livestock. Farmers can benefit from products such as fruit, timber and fuelwood while trees can help protect soil and provide habitat.
Protecting existing forests remains equally important. Mature forests can contain biodiversity and carbon stores that take decades or centuries to develop.
Restoration can help recover degraded landscapes, but preventing unnecessary forest loss is often essential to maintaining ecosystems that are already functioning.
The scale of global land degradation makes the challenge significant. FAO’s 2026 assessment says roughly 1.56 billion hectares of land are degraded and notes that countries have made restoration commitments covering more than one billion hectares. (FAOHome)
Effective restoration will require scientific knowledge, long-term financing, community participation and careful monitoring.
Forests are not simply collections of trees. They are interconnected ecosystems that support biodiversity, water systems, climate regulation and human livelihoods.
Protecting existing forests while restoring degraded landscapes can therefore form an important part of efforts to build more resilient ecosystems for future generations.
