Ecosystems & Pathways
Forest restoration
The broader effort to return degraded forest to ecological function, of which carbon gain is one outcome among several.
Restoration aims at function: hydrology, soil, habitat, connectivity and livelihoods, with carbon as a co-product. Framing it this way avoids the failure mode of maximising tonnes at the expense of everything else.
Carbon standards can accommodate restoration, but the accounting must separate the carbon claim from the ecological one, since success in one does not guarantee the other.
Frequently asked questions
Is restoration the same as tree planting?
No. Planting is one technique; restoration may involve protection, hydrology repair or species reintroduction.
Can restored forest be credited?
Yes, where stock increase against a documented baseline is measurable and additional.