Enhancing landscape restoration with nature-positive economies through sustainable use of wild plants and fungi

Led by TRAFFIC, A new toolkit has been developed that bridges the gap between landscape restoration and the sustainable use of natural resources. The project team is hosting a webinar to explain more on Tuesday 3rd June 1-2pm (BST).

Globally, one in five people depend on products from wild plants, algae and fungi for food and income (IPBES, 2022). Despite this, the topic of sustainable use of wild species in restoration initiatives has often been overlooked. In fact, for restoration practitioners working in degraded landscapes, the use of wild species may at first appear at odds with their goals of ecosystem restoration. 

A two-year project led by TRAFFIC in partnership with FairWild Foundation, The Global Biodiversity Standard, and IUCN SULi is bridging this gap between sustainable use initiatives and the goals of landscape restoration initiatives. Based on several case study examples, the project team has produced a toolkit for global restoration practitioners on integrating sustainable use of wild plant and fungi.

To access the toolkit, head to https://www.traffic.org/guidance-for-restoration-practitioners/ which includes guidance for practitioners, an online course, and more details on the individual case studies. For more information, sign up to the webinar at the link above.

This project has been funded by an Advancing and Applying Knowledge grant from the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme and implemented in conjunction with the UK Government Darwin Initiative project DAREX001 for Developing a Global Biodiversity Standard certification for tree-planting and restoration, led by the Botanic Gardens Conservation International.