Restoration is more complex than just planting trees. It requires that farmers, rural communities, businesses, and government agencies – all of which have different interests – unite behind a shared vision of how the land should be used. Establishing common goals and measuring progress facilitates deeper collaboration among these diverse actors. This, in turn, can improve strategies and implementation, helping to direct investments into activities that maximize results. The Sustainability Index for Landscape Restoration introduced in this presentation is a field-tested tool for measuring the impact of restoration efforts. It offers easy-to-use visual metrics to display biophysical and socioeconomic indicators to measure the health of a landscape. It describes how these metrics have been used to convene dialogues among diverse stakeholders who must actively collaborate to restore lands.

To test the methodology, the World Resources Institute worked with the Government of El Salvador, the Regional Program for Research on Development and Environment (PRISMA), and the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), to create a Sustainability Index for Landscape Restoration in a diverse 1,200 square kilometer landscape. About 300,000 people live in this area, which includes the subtropical forests in El Imposible National Park, mangrove areas in Barra de Santiago, and Ilamatepec, a volcanic mountain range with diverse natural and agricultural areas.

Speakers

Welcome and Introduction

  • Cynthia J. Arnson, Director, Latin American Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
  • Fred Stolle, Deputy Director, Forests Program, WRI

The Sustainability Index for Landscape Restoration

  • René Zamora Cristales, Latin America Research Coordinator, Initiative 20x20, WRI
  • Nelson Cuéllar, Director, Fundación PRISMA

Panel

  • Jorge Quezada, Expert Advisor to the Minister's Cabinet, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, El Salvador
  • Salvador Nieto, Executive Secretary, Central American Commission on Sustainable Development and Environment
  • Miguel Gallardo, Landscape Restoration National Director, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, El Salvador
  • Doribel Herrador, Senior Researcher, PRISMA
  • Giovanni Molina, Manager of the Department of Geo-statistics, Risk Management and Climate Change, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, El Salvador

Moderator

  • María Franco Chuaire, Regional Coordinator, South America, Initiative 20x20, Global Restoration Initiative, WRI

Closing Remarks

  • Susan Kandel, Deputy Director, Fundación PRISMA