Resource information
It may come as a paradox that while interest in tropical forests worldwide has been steadily growing in the last century, this has in no way halted the continued loss and degradation of one of earth's grandest terrestrial ecosystems. In fact, the extent and rate of degradation is accelerating. Some places have completely lost their original forests, while in others the structure and biomass of the forest have been irreparably damaged. Concern for this loss is not limited to the extinction of animal and plant species. Of more immediate concern is the impoverishment of people dependent on forests for their livelihoods. Millions of people worldwide depend on these public lands entirely or partially for their survival – as a source of food, housing material, fuel, medicine and even products for sale in the market. So reversing the trend may not necessarily just require filling the denuded land with trees. It must take into consideration the special needs of the people. This publication presents, in language bereft of technical jargon, the basic issues behind rehabilitation. It explains the definitions in simple terms, exemplifies the work on reforesting with interesting case studies, and points out the environmental and market forces that go into rehabilitation of landscapes. The work is further enhanced with clear illustrations, making it accessible to all, from stakeholders and policy-makers to members of the public.
