Description
The restoration of degraded land is a global concern. To improve the effectiveness of forest restoration action, D4R was developed to help in the appropriate choice of species and identify seed sources for a given project site that meet the desired restoration objectives. D4R also takes into account climate change when choosing appropriate material, and includes information about the propagation of hundreds of tree species.
Te tool was originally designed for tropical dry forest in Colombia, but aimed at all those interested in planting or regenerating trees, including scientists, restoration planners and practitioners as well as public authorities, investors and donors.
The process in a nutshell (for full process go to their website below):
- As a first step the user is invited to identify the area to be restored on a map that shows the areas that are included in the D4R tool (currently limited to the seasonally dry tropical forests of Colombia and northwestern Peru – southern Ecuador).
- Next, the user is asked to fill in an online form with information about the conditions of the site targeted for restoration action, the restoration objectives, and additional options, e.g. how many and what type of species the user wishes to plant. The tool selects species from a list of all possible species suited to the habitat of the planting site under current and future climate conditions.
- Finally, the tool generates information on combinations of tree species that are expected to be adapted to the environmental conditions under current and future climatic conditions. Seed zone maps are generated to indicate from which areas planting material should be sourced.
- The results are provided to the user as a report that can be downloaded directly or received by email. The report is intended to serve as a guide for selecting appropriate species and seed sources for restoration of the specified site. Propagation protocols of individual species can be downloaded through hyperlinks. Recommended indicators for monitoring the success of restoration interventions are also included.
