Innovative techniques for restoration of degraded ecosystems

1. Techniques for restoration of degraded ecosystems and to reclaim rural land offer
   high impact potential across a wide range of techniques, but technology readiness is
   not high. There remains a lack of performance information to guide implementation
   decisions – across the range of techniques discussed
2. Techniques for social innovation in restoration of degraded ecosystems are important
   and are an important research and innovation (R&I) frontier and also essential for
   engaging communities, decision makers, funders and technology stakeholders.
3. The priorities for R&I are greater for innovation than for additional research. The main
   innovation priorities for accelerated implementation and mainstreaming of NBS are
   methods to manage communications and relationships across the complex mix of
   stakeholder groups required to cooperate for implementation.
4. Stakeholder leadership and effective stakeholder engagement is an essential
   component to successful restoration techniques.

Benefits of restoration of degraded ecosystems

1. There is still limited experience in large scale ecosystem restoration practices.
   However, innovative NBS at ecosystem scale are emerging and provide promising
   messages regarding their multi-functionality, efficiency and sustainability.
2. Ecosystem restoration is related to risk management and resilience, providing also
   multiple other benefits (i.e. environmental, social, financial). The identification,
   quantification and appropriate capitalization on these benefits is important for NBS
   propagation.
3. Multiple barriers still exist in ecosystem scale NBS applications (e.g. technical,
   financial, policy, communication, conflicting land use activities). Possible drivers are
   demonstration NBS projects, effective communication and coordination tools and
   business case development.

The role of restoration in increasing resilience and human wellbeing.

1. We can promote NBS using:
   – Mainly bottom up approaches,
   – Leadership at different levels and
   – Transfer of knowledge through demonstration.
2. We have been advocating solutions with multiple approaches without providing clear
   evaluation which to use.
3. We should combine skills – knowledge – motivation in successful governance and
   coordination frameworks, to support resilience by balancing biodiversity and human
   well-being.

The outcomes of the dialogue steering on restoration of degraded ecosystems provide the foundation to further develop stakeholder engagement. Future dialogue steering will occur through a series of webinars held by the regional think and do tanks, which will be connected to dialogue on the ThinkNature Platform.

The outcomes so far, and the future dialogue steering, will contribute to Work Package 5 on barrier analysis and design of decision hierarchy for restoration of degraded ecosystems for NBS, and to Work Package 7 on development of international dialogue and collaboration.