Target Plant Concept and Ecological Restoration (webinar 2)

Under the umbrella of the UN Decade, The UNEP Regional Office for West Asia (UNEP-ROWA) and the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (FAO-RNE) are pleased to present a series of webinars in partnership with Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI). The webinars cover multiple topics related to Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration, with the following objectives: to raise awareness on the need for solutions to common problems of degradation and destruction of ecosystems in the Middle East and North Africa region; to strengthen knowledge dissemination by sharing and exchanging best restoration practices; to enhance capacities; and to build a community of practice in the region over the Decade and beyond. They are presented and hosted by conservation and restoration experts and specialists.

The second webinar, held on 21 July, 2022, covers the “Target Plant Concept and Ecological Restoration”.

Summary:

1. The definition of the Target Plant Concept where native plant material are:
   1. Selected according to the restoration project objective and project site limiting factors, and
   2. Selected while targeting specific physiological and morphological characteristics that can be quantitatively linked with outplanting success. 
2. The importance the Target Plant Concept and how it relates to successful ecological restoration planning and implementation where:
   1. Native nursery practices assessment steps and identification were discussed.
   2. Development of native nursery production timeline, related to outplanting/restoration project timeline were also defined.
3. The selection of most suitable plant material, depending on the objectives of a project, where objectives can be:
   1. Ecological: soil erosion prevention, watershed protection, wildlife and/or endangered species conservation, etc.
   2. Social (cultural): Eco-tourism, historical sites, etc.
   3. Economic: timber production, non-wood forest products, diversify income generating activities, etc.
4. Study cases studies from Morocco and Guinea were finally introduced as implemented examples of the Target Plant Concept in 2 cases:
   1. Genetic adaptation of plant material under climate change effects in Morocco
   2. Conservation of the West Chimpanzee population in fragmented habitats in Guinea.