Article
Engineering, Environmental
Johanna Kangas, Markku Ollikainen
Summary: Protecting forests has synergistic benefits for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. By incorporating carbon payments into biodiversity conservation schemes, both goals can be further promoted in a cost-efficient manner. A study found that introducing a carbon payment improves both targets, with the highest synergy gains achieved at a payment level of 10-20 euro/tCO(2)(-1).
Review
Environmental Sciences
Xiuhong Li, Yizhuo Wang, Rongjin Yang, Le Zhang, Yi Zhang, Qiang Liu, Zhenwei Song
Summary: This paper discusses the challenges and problems faced by watershed eco-compensation in China, and explores new models including expanding funding sources, establishing sustainable compensation models, and reducing the burden on the government. It also compares different regional models of eco-compensation projects.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Forestry
R. Sean Sellers, Melissa M. Kreye, Tyler J. Carney, Lauren K. Ward, Damian C. Adams
Summary: Private forests play a critical role in providing ecosystem services in the southeastern US, with restoration of longleaf pine forests and savannas enhancing water supply. Various payments for watershed services strategies have emerged to address market failures in private forests and public water supply, potentially leading to biodiversity protection as a positive externality to water resource protection.
Article
Environmental Studies
Lia Yukari K. Murakami, Klecia Gili Massi, Tatiana Sussel G. Mendes
Summary: Most of Brazil's native vegetation is found on private properties, so the decisions of landowners greatly affect the effectiveness of environmental policies. The Brazilian Native Vegetation Protection Law designates riparian permanent preservation areas (RPA) based on the width of rivers and streams. The restoration of native cover in Brazil can be hindered by the high cost of ecological restoration, especially for small landowners.
Article
Business, Finance
Dayan Huang, Chengyi Liu, Zehao Yan, Aiju Kou
Summary: China's Payments for Watershed Services (PWS) program has been found to have a positive impact on green innovation in corporations, leading to increased R&D efforts and green patent filings. The study shows that PWS increases regulatory pressure on firms in upstream areas, resulting in higher environmental penalties. This pressure, combined with firms' sewage discharge and previous environmental penalties, further enhances the positive effect of PWS on R&D and green innovation. However, the study also finds that firms investing in wastewater treatment facilities do not experience the same level of increase in green innovation after PWS. Moreover, the positive effect of PWS is more pronounced in firms with more R&D staff, lower financial constraints, less market competition, and those that are state-owned enterprises.
INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF ECONOMICS & FINANCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Ivan Perez-Rubio, Daniel Flores, Christian Vargas, Francisco Jimenez, Iker Etxano
Summary: Deforestation and unsustainable management of agricultural and livestock production systems have led to fragmented and degraded landscapes in tropical mountain areas. Establishing a micro-scale PES scheme could help restore disturbed ecosystems and improve household well-being.
Article
Ecology
J. Carl Ureta, Marzieh Motallebi, Michael Vassalos, Steven Seagle, Robert Baldwin
Summary: This study evaluated the feasibility of establishing a Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) by estimating the potential community benefits from ecosystem services (ES) improvement. The findings revealed varying willingness-to-pay estimates depending on the type of intervention, regional location, and priority ES for improvement. Overall, the community benefits are estimated to reach $4.6 million to $6.2 million monthly, showing that PES is a promising program that could provide substantial support to conservation programs.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Shiteng Kang, Timm Kroeger, Daniel Shemie, Marta Echavarria, Tamara Montalvo, Leah L. Bremer, Genevieve Bennett, Samuel Roiphe Barreto, Henrique Bracale, Claudia Calero, Aldo Cardenas, Julian Cardona, Isabel Cristina Cardozo Garcia, Rodrigo Crespo, Jose Bento da Rocha, Bert de Bievre, Jose David Diaz Gonzalez, Walkiria Estevez, Daniela Hernandez, Luis Gamez Hernandez, Carlos M. Garcia, Francisco Gordillo, Claudio Klemz, Hendrik Mansur, Galo Medina, Paola Mendez, Eduardo Mercado, Oscar Rojas, Mariella Sanchez Guerra, Louise Stafford, Gilberto Tiepolo, Eduardo Toral, Vanessa Vinces, Haijiang Zhang
Summary: Globally, there is a growing trend of using nature-based solutions (NbS) in watershed management programs to address water security challenges. However, the actual investment in NbS for water security falls significantly short of its potential, mainly due to uncertainty in costs. Despite limited data, studies show that the administrative and transaction costs of watershed investment programs can be substantial.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
J. B. Ruhl, James Salzman, Craig Anthony Arnold, Robin Craig, Keith Hirokawa, Lydia Olander, Margaret Palmer, Taylor H. Ricketts
Summary: Conservation and provision of ecosystem services have been adopted as high-level policy in many countries, yet there has been surprisingly little application of these policies in the field. The environmental policy toolkit includes prescription, property, penalty, payment, and persuasion, and requires scientists and policy makers to clearly recognize each other's needs to support effective research and decision-making.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Economics
Juan Robalino, Alexander Pfaff, Catalina Sandoval, G. Arturo Sanchez-Azofeifa
Summary: The study found that the Pagos por Servicios Ambientales (PSA) program in Costa Rica experienced changes in impact over time and space, with contracts signed during 2000-2005 having higher impacts compared to those in the initial period of 1997-1999. PSA payments were found to have higher impacts in areas with lower slopes and shorter market distances. The targeting of PSA along ecological dimensions led to increased impact, but explicitly targeting impact could further enhance PES impacts in Costa Rica and other nations.
FOREST POLICY AND ECONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Yuansheng Wang, Xiaojing Wu, Juqin Shen, Chen Chi, Xin Gao
Summary: The study indicates that the initial probability, daily supervision of the central government, reduction of environmental protection cost, fines to downstream governments, and increase of ecological compensation fee all have impacts on the decision-making process of watershed ecological compensation.
Article
Ecology
Max R. Piana, Clara C. Pregitzer, Richard A. Hallett
Summary: Cities worldwide are implementing large-scale greening projects to tap into the ecological, economic, and social benefits of urban forests. Urban forested natural areas, though crucial, often lack formal management frameworks and are overshadowed. By adapting traditional silviculture practices with modifications for urban settings, cities can improve the long-term sustainability of urban forests.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ludwig Liagre, Davide Pettenella, Alex Pra, Felipe Carazo Ortiz, Alberto Garcia Arguedas, Cuong Nguyen Chien
Summary: NFFs are a significant funding source for the forest sector globally, and integrating biodiversity in these domestic financing instruments could increase financing flows for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services. Analysis of three NFF case studies shows that NFFs already operate on PES or PES-like mechanisms, serving as an intermediary between ecosystem services providers and buyers, with an opportunity to mainstream biodiversity objectives in NFFs.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Legrand D. F. Saint-Cyr, Lionel Vedrine, Sophie Legras, Julie Le Gallo, Valentin Bellassen
Summary: Payments for Environmental or Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes are a popular tool to address environmental degradation. A meta-regression analysis on 110 studies found that the effectiveness of PES schemes is strongly associated with third-party monitoring, reference design, and results-based payments. Further analysis on 41 studies confirmed the role of design variables and suggested a potential trade-off between enrollment and additionality in assessing PES effectiveness.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Sandra I. Saad, Jonathan Mota da Silva, Alexandra G. Ponette-Gonzalez, Marx Leandro Naves Silva, Humberto R. da Rocha
Summary: By studying a PES project in Brazil, it was found that increasing forest cover and implementing soil conservation practices can reduce soil loss and sediment export. These measures improve regulating services and provide benefits both onsite and to downstream reservoirs.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Paula Meli, Mariana Bettinardi, Pedro H. S. Brancalion
Summary: The study classified the flooding tolerance of 15 native tree species and found that the flooding tolerance index was significantly correlated with the occurrence of hypertrophied lenticels. Selecting tree species based on nursery screenings helped predict species growth, but was not effective in predicting seedling survival rates. Species identity had a significant impact on seedling performance in restoration plantations, while soil preparation methods had minimal influence.
APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Paulo H. S. A. Camargo, Tomas A. Carlo, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Marco A. Pizo
Summary: The diversity of bird frugivores plays a crucial role in seed dispersal and seed rain in tropical forest landscapes, particularly in fragmented areas. The activity of frugivores is positively correlated with bird diversity and seed rain diversity, with an increase in the dispersal of rare plant species leading to higher overall diversity in seed rain. Loss of bird species and simplification of avian communities could have detrimental effects on plant communities in tropical landscapes.
Article
Ecology
Ludmila P. de Siqueira, Anazelia M. Tedesco, Paula Meli, Anita Diederichsen, Pedro H. S. Brancalion
Summary: Promoting gender equality in ecological restoration is essential, as it should be considered both a driver and measure of success. Adopting gender-responsive approaches is necessary to leverage the contributions of restoration to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and of women to its Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. It is recommended that the International Principles and Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration include a gender-responsive perspective in its recommendations.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Monica Borda-Nino, Eliane Ceccon, Paula Meli, Diego Hernandez-Mucino, Jean-Francois Mas, Pedro H. S. Brancalion
Summary: A study in rural Southeast Brazil found that forest regeneration was mainly influenced by lower land suitability for agriculture, closer proximity to forest remnants, higher diversity of land-use types on the farm, and lower economic dependence of landowners on farm income. It was emphasized that considering farmers' decisions in predictive models of forest regeneration is crucial for guiding large-scale restoration initiatives in agricultural landscapes.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Flavia G. Florido, Jussara B. Regitano, Pedro A. M. Andrade, Fernando D. Andreote, Pedro H. S. Brancalion
Summary: Glyphosate spraying has shown to be cost-effective in vegetation control, improving tree planting performance and promoting plant regeneration, but caution is needed to avoid residues in soil and water sources during application.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Karen D. Holl, Justin C. Luong, Pedro H. S. Brancalion
Summary: The extensive evidence suggests that restoration practices often result in lower regional diversity compared to reference landscapes. This is due to the selection of easily-grown species with high survival rates, which reduces genetic diversity. To counteract biotic homogenization, reintroducing species adapted to localized conditions and unlikely to colonize naturally, periodically reintroducing propagules from remnant populations to increase genetic diversity, and reintroducing higher trophic level fauna to restore interaction networks that promote habitat heterogeneity are discussed. Policy changes, such as regional coordination among restoration groups, financial incentives for conservation-valued species, and experimental designations for rare species introductions, can also increase regional diversity.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Biology
Anazelia M. M. Tedesco, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Michelle L. Hak Hepburn, Khalil Walji, Kerrie A. A. Wilson, Hugh P. P. Possingham, Angela J. J. Dean, Nick Nugent, Katerina Elias-Trostmann, Katharina-Victoria Perez-Hammerle, Jonathan R. R. Rhodes
Summary: Forest restoration is a scalable nature-based solution that aims to achieve global environmental and socio-economic goals. Incentive mechanisms play a crucial role in promoting restoration success, but their impact is not well-understood. Socio-economic factors have a significant influence on implementation and program success, highlighting the importance of assessing and managing these factors.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leo Eiti Haneda, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Paulo G. Molin, Matheus Pinheiro Ferreira, Carlos Alberto Silva, Catherine Torres de Almeida, Angelica Faria Resende, Giulio Brossi Santoro, Marcos Rosa, Joannes Guillemot, Guerric Le Maire, Jean-Baptiste Feret, Danilo Roberti Alves de Almeida
Summary: Forest landscape restoration (FLR) commitments have been established to restore over 200 million hectares in the past years. Remote sensing techniques and innovative technologies are strategic for planning and monitoring FLR programs, but there are still unresolved questions. This study evaluated the potential of multispectral orbital images to classify different tree cover classes commonly found in FLR programs.
REMOTE SENSING APPLICATIONS-SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Igor Jose Malfetoni Ferreira, Wesley Augusto Campanharo, Marisa Gesteira Fonseca, Maria Isabel Sobral Escada, Marcelo Trindade Nascimento, Dora M. Villela, Pedro Brancalion, Luiz Fernando Silva Magnago, Liana Oighenstein Anderson, Laszlo Nagy, Luiz E. O. C. Aragao
Summary: Increases in aboveground biomass density (AGB) are projected for the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (AF) domain by the end of the 21st century, with suitable climatic conditions for biomass increase in 76.9% of the AF. However, 2.6% of the forest fragments are projected to have reduced AGB. These findings should be considered in climate change mitigation strategies and restoration efforts in the AF and Brazil.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Viviane Dib, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Sin Chan Chou, Miguel Cooper, David Ellison, Vinicius F. Farjalla, Solange Filoso, Paula Meli, Aliny P. F. Pires, Daniel A. Rodriguez, Alvaro Iribarrem, Agnieszka Ewa Latawiec, Fabio R. Scarano, Adrian L. Vogl, Carlos Eduardo de Viveiros Grelle, Bernardo Strassburg
Summary: Although native vegetation plays a crucial role in maintaining aquatic ecosystems, forest restoration efforts have been found to decrease water yields worldwide. This study clarifies the connection between forest restoration and water services and identifies gaps in the literature that hinder the assessment of the benefits of forest restoration on water yields. The authors suggest strategies to improve forest restoration planning and implementation and emphasize the need for future research to consider hydrologic parameters beyond annual streamflow and encompass broader spatial-temporal scales.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Forestry
Leticia Bulascoschi Cagnoni, Emanuela W. A. Weidlich, Joannes Guillemot, Carla Morselo, Martin Weih, Anneli Adler, Pedro H. S. Brancalion
Summary: This article evaluates stakeholders' perspectives on tree-species diversity in plantations and explores policy alternatives to make mixed plantations a viable strategy for climate change adaptation. Recent evidence shows that increasing tree species diversity in plantations can be a sustainable and economically accessible strategy for wood production while also providing environmental benefits.
CURRENT FORESTRY REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Ludmila Pugliese de Siqueira, Nino T. Amazonas, Mayte B. Rizek, Alex F. Mendes, Edson L. Santiami, Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues, Miguel Calmon, Rubens Benini, Julio R. C. Tymus, Karen D. Holl, Rafael B. Chaves
Summary: This study aimed to understand and quantify the current and potential ecosystem restoration jobs in Brazil. The research found that restoration jobs are mainly concentrated in the Atlantic Forest in the southeast region, provided by organizations from the nonprofit and private sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the termination of about 20% of restoration jobs, but restoration activities have the potential to create millions of job opportunities.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sebastian Aguiar, Matias E. Mastrangelo, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Paula Meli
Summary: Tree planting and reforestation are seen as key strategies to address global environmental degradation, with large-scale initiatives aiming to restore millions of hectares and plant a trillion trees. However, challenges such as local dependence on natural resources, conflicts over land tenure, and diverging values need to be addressed to ensure the effectiveness of Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) initiatives in Latin America. Implementing transformative governance is crucial to finding a balance between global interests and local well-being in this region.
ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Daniella Schweizer, Paula Meli, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Manuel R. Guariguata
Summary: This paper examines the perceptions of stakeholders from 17 Latin American countries on the legal frameworks affecting national forest landscape restoration interventions, finding that there is a lack of articulation in the legal frameworks to enable coordinated deployment of various forest restoration interventions. Efforts in some countries such as Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico to improve cross-sectorial communication and develop innovative financial mechanisms were highlighted, but challenges including weak implementation capacities, insufficient funding, and social conflicts remain as key impediments for policy implementation.
Review
Environmental Studies
Ricardo Gomes Cesar, Loren Belei, Carolina Giudice Badari, Ricardo A. G. Viani, Victoria Gutierrez, Robin L. Chazdon, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Carla Morsello
Summary: The study identified main FLR concepts and definitions in literature from 1980 to 2017, highlighting variations in principles and their link with practice. The research provides a starting point for future tools to improve guidance frameworks for FLR, emphasizing the lack of social aspects in FLR projects.