Sustainable land management technologies: reducing deforestation

Sources

Sustainable Land Management contribution to successful land-based climate change adaptation and mitigation: A report of the UNCCD Science-Policy Interface (SPI)

reducing_deforestation

Definition

Reducing deforestation involves measures that aim to prevent or reduce the removal or clearance of a forest or stand of trees, or the conversion of forest land to non-forest land. The technology is applied to land with forest areas, such as forest/woodland.

Benefits

According to the report on sustainable land management (SLM) by the UNCCD Science-Policy Interface (SPI), reducing deforestation is an effective climate change mitigation strategy, as it has a high potential to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). The technology can provide other benefits, including protecting soil quality and preserving soil carbon stocks and biodiversity. Reducing deforestation also improves the livelihoods and resilience of forest-dependent communities.

Examples of SLM best practices in reducing deforestation

Below are examples of best practices in reducing deforestation cited in the report on SLM by the SPI.

Community protection of microbasins through reforestation

SLM - Land use type :

Forest/Woodland

SLM - Technology group:

Reducing deforestation

SLM - Type of land degradation addressed:

Soil erosion by water

Water degradation

Country

Honduras

Source

WOCAT

A community-led reforestation effort that led to the legal protection of a forest area and improved water quality and quantity from the microbasin located within the forest area. The community-led ensures the quantity and quality of the water supply and the legal protection of the forest area.

Communities using the micro-basin agreed to make the area a protected forest area and stop using it for other purposes (such as grazing or agriculture). Community greenhouses were established to produce native tree species seedlings, which are then transplanted in the field over time.