Evidence Platform
Adaptive forest landscape restoration as a contribution to more resilient ecosystems in the Shouf Biosphere Reserve (Lebanon)
Hani, N., et al., 2017. Plant Sociology
Original research (primary data)View External Publication Link
Abstract
The Mediterranean Mosaics Project has the objective to increase the resilience of forest ecosystems in the Shouf Biosphere Reserve (SBR) to climate change. The Project has designed adaptive forest restoration and management plans that were applied in a number of pilot sites over the 3 years of Project implementation: (i) sustainable forest thinning and pruning operations were applied in 18.5 ha of Quercus calliprinos and Pinus brutia forestland; (ii) ecological restoration techniques were tested and demonstrated in 59.11 ha. Seeds and seedlings of about 38 plant species were used, with the objective to restore the forest habitats and ecological processes by which the species populations can self-organize into functional and resilient communities well-adapted to changing climate conditions, while at the same time delivering vital ecosystem services. Ad-hoc plant production protocols were developed to ensure the production of high-quality and well-hardened seedlings. The project has demonstrated the possibility to implement forest restoration without additional water supply to the planted seedlings. The survival rate in the majority of sites after 3 years was between 75% and 100%, with the exception of the direct seed sowing of oak acorns (up to 20%) that were very much affected by rodent predation. Only in instable soil debris direct seed sowing of Quercus acorns has achieved a very high survival rate up to 100%. The key factors of success in the Project forest restoration work were: (i) the availability of high quality plant material from the selected species; (ii) a good preparation of the soil and careful planting of seedlings to facilitate the growth of the root system, and increase soil water retention and storage; (iii) the selection of the right planting period, making sure that soil is sufficiently wet. The Project has also demonstrated the environmental and socio-economic benefits of the combined use of forest thinning and pruning products and agriculture waste (olive pomace and waste wood from fruit tree pruning). Lessons learned from the pilot demonstration actions have opened up new opportunities to influence forestation plans in the Country, and regulate the harvesting of forest biomass and its combined use with agricultural waste to control the risk of forest fires, generate economic benefit and contribute to local livelihoods.
Case studies
Basic information
- Case ID: INT-065-5
- Intervention type: Restoration
- Intervention description:
create a green barrier between the road and the wetland specific restoraiton action: Planting of seedlings with irrigation. implementation of grazing control measures, and watering provided during the summer drought period. restoration occurring within a protected area
- Landscape/sea scape ecosystem management: Yes
-
Climate change impacts Effect of Nbs on CCI Effect measures Loss of food production Positive no explicit measure given. Authors state "benefit of sustainable, high-quality agriculture production in the area" Biomass cover loss Positive survival rate of planted species - Approach implemented in the field: Yes
- Specific location:
The Shouf Biosphere Reserve (SBR) lies between longitude 35o 28’- 35o 47’ East and latitude 33o 32’- 35o 48’ North at an altitude of 1200 to1980 meters. It is located along a steep mountain range of the Ba- rouk and Niha Mountains, a southern extension of the Mount Lebanon running parallel to the Mediterrane- an coast. Intervention is specifically within one site in the buffer zone of Ammiq, a wetland close to the main road crossing the Bekaa valley, at an altitude of 900 m.
- Country: Lebanon
- Habitat/Biome type: Streams, rivers, riparian |
- Issue specific term: Forest landscape restoration
Evidence
- Notes on intervention effectivness: effectiveness determined by before and after implementation comparison (i.e. no control or no-adaptation comparison) land degradation was the lowest level impacts addressed by the outcome measures but these in turn were caused by drought/water scarcity, extreme weather events such as forest fires and heat waves, pest outbreaks (as well as other anthropogenic factors such as overgrazing) outcomes for ecosystems was selected as the goal of restoration was also for the improvement of the natural habitat and the outcome measure (% survival) directly measures improved habitat
- Is the assessment original?: Yes
- Broadtype of intervention considered: Not applicable
- Compare effectivness?: No
- Compared to the non-NBS approach: Not applicable
- Report greenhouse gas mitigation?: No
- Impacts on GHG: Not applicable
- Assess outcomes of the intervention on natural ecosystems: Yes
- Impacts for the ecosystem: Positive
- Ecosystem measures: survival rate of planted species
- Assess outcomes of the intervention on people: No
- Impacts for people: Not reported
- People measures:
- Considers economic costs: Yes
- Economic appraisal conducted: No
- Economic appraisal described:
- Economic costs of alternative considered: No
- Compared to an alternative: Not reported
Evaluation methodology
- Type of data: Mixed qualitative/quantitative
- Is it experimental: No
- Experimental evalution done: Not applicable
- Non-experimental evalution done: Empirical case study
- Study is systematic:
Basic information
- Case ID: INT-065-4
- Intervention type: Restoration
- Intervention description:
restore the natural vegeta- tion cover in the instable talus slopes of an abandoned quarry specific restoration action: Combined direct sowing and planting of seedlings, restoration occurring within a protected area
- Landscape/sea scape ecosystem management: Yes
-
Climate change impacts Effect of Nbs on CCI Effect measures Biomass cover loss Positive no specific measure given but authors state "In the talus substrate with poor structure, the application of organic amendments and the planting of seeds and seedlings have demonstrated good results in soil erosion control" - Approach implemented in the field: Yes
- Specific location:
The Shouf Biosphere Reserve (SBR) lies between longitude 35o 28’- 35o 47’ East and latitude 33o 32’- 35o 48’ North at an altitude of 1200 to1980 meters. It is located along a steep mountain range of the Ba- rouk and Niha Mountains, a southern extension of the Mount Lebanon running parallel to the Mediterrane- an coast. Intervention is specifically within the Mrusti municipality
- Country: Lebanon
- Habitat/Biome type: Montane/Alpine |
- Issue specific term: Forest landscape restoration
Evidence
- Notes on intervention effectivness: effectiveness determined by before and after implementation comparison (i.e. no control or no-adaptation comparison) outcomes for ecosystems was selected as the goal of restoration was also for the improvement of the natural habitat and the outcome measure (% survival) directly measures improved habitat
- Is the assessment original?: Yes
- Broadtype of intervention considered: Not applicable
- Compare effectivness?: No
- Compared to the non-NBS approach: Not applicable
- Report greenhouse gas mitigation?: No
- Impacts on GHG: Not applicable
- Assess outcomes of the intervention on natural ecosystems: Yes
- Impacts for the ecosystem: Positive
- Ecosystem measures: survival rate of planted species
- Assess outcomes of the intervention on people: No
- Impacts for people: Not reported
- People measures:
- Considers economic costs: Yes
- Economic appraisal conducted: No
- Economic appraisal described:
- Economic costs of alternative considered: No
- Compared to an alternative: Not reported
Evaluation methodology
- Type of data: Qualitative
- Is it experimental: No
- Experimental evalution done: Not applicable
- Non-experimental evalution done: Empirical case study
- Study is systematic:
Basic information
- Case ID: INT-065-3
- Intervention type: Restoration
- Intervention description:
specific restoraiton action: planting of seedlings restoration occurring within a protected area
- Landscape/sea scape ecosystem management: Yes
-
Climate change impacts Effect of Nbs on CCI Effect measures Biomass cover loss Positive survival rate of planted species - Approach implemented in the field: Yes
- Specific location:
The Shouf Biosphere Reserve (SBR) lies between longitude 35o 28’- 35o 47’ East and latitude 33o 32’- 35o 48’ North at an altitude of 1200 to1980 meters. It is located along a steep mountain range of the Ba- rouk and Niha Mountains, a southern extension of the Mount Lebanon running parallel to the Mediterrane- an coast. Intervention is specifically within one restoration site of 20.5 ha, in Maaser El Shouf, at an altitude of 1750-1925 m.
- Country: Lebanon
- Habitat/Biome type: Montane/Alpine |
- Issue specific term: Forest landscape restoration
Evidence
- Notes on intervention effectivness: effectiveness determined by before and after implementation comparison (i.e. no control or no-adaptation comparison) land degradation was the lowest level impacts addressed by the outcome measures but these in turn were caused by drought/water scarcity, extreme weather events such as forest fires and heat waves, pest outbreaks (as well as other anthropogenic factors such as overgrazing) outcomes for ecosystems was selected as the goal of restoration was also for the improvement of the natural habitat and the outcome measure (% survival) directly measures improved habitat
- Is the assessment original?: Yes
- Broadtype of intervention considered: Not applicable
- Compare effectivness?: No
- Compared to the non-NBS approach: Not applicable
- Report greenhouse gas mitigation?: No
- Impacts on GHG: Not applicable
- Assess outcomes of the intervention on natural ecosystems: Yes
- Impacts for the ecosystem: Positive
- Ecosystem measures: survival rate of planted species
- Assess outcomes of the intervention on people: No
- Impacts for people: Not reported
- People measures:
- Considers economic costs: Yes
- Economic appraisal conducted: No
- Economic appraisal described:
- Economic costs of alternative considered: No
- Compared to an alternative: Not reported
Evaluation methodology
- Type of data: Quantitative
- Is it experimental: No
- Experimental evalution done: Not applicable
- Non-experimental evalution done: Empirical case study
- Study is systematic:
Basic information
- Case ID: INT-065-2
- Intervention type: Restoration
- Intervention description:
connect the isolated cedar stands of Ain Zhalta and Barouk, through the esta- blishment of an oak forest stand (Quercus brantii ssp. look Mouterde and Quercus cerris L.) in the denuded mountain slopes, and building on previous restora- tion projects specific action: direct sowing restoration occurring within a protected area
- Landscape/sea scape ecosystem management: Yes
-
Climate change impacts Effect of Nbs on CCI Effect measures Biomass cover loss Unclear results Plant survival rate - Approach implemented in the field: Yes
- Specific location:
The Shouf Biosphere Reserve (SBR) lies between longitude 35o 28’- 35o 47’ East and latitude 33o 32’- 35o 48’ North at an altitude of 1200 to1980 meters. It is located along a steep mountain range of the Ba- rouk and Niha Mountains, a southern extension of the Mount Lebanon running parallel to the Mediterrane- an coast. Intervention is specifically within one site of 6 ha, between Ain Zhalta, Bmohray, and Barouk Cedar, in the western side of the Shouf mountain range, at an altitudinal range of 1770-1850 m.
- Country: Lebanon
- Habitat/Biome type: Montane/Alpine |
- Issue specific term: Forest landscape restoration
Evidence
- Notes on intervention effectivness: effectiveness determined by before and after implementation comparison (i.e. no control or no-adaptation comparison) land degradation was the lowest level impacts addressed by the outcome measures but these in turn were caused by drought/water scarcity, extreme weather events such as forest fires and heat waves, pest outbreaks (as well as other anthropogenic factors such as overgrazing) results unclear b/c at first the intervention was not effective due to seed predation, later measures taken to prevent predation but overall not yet able to say whether intervention overall was effective or not outcomes for ecosystems was selected as the goal of restoration was also for the improvement of the natural habitat and the outcome measure (% survival) directly measures improved habitat
- Is the assessment original?: Yes
- Broadtype of intervention considered: Not applicable
- Compare effectivness?: No
- Compared to the non-NBS approach: Not applicable
- Report greenhouse gas mitigation?: No
- Impacts on GHG: Not applicable
- Assess outcomes of the intervention on natural ecosystems: Yes
- Impacts for the ecosystem: Unclear
- Ecosystem measures: survival rate of planted species
- Assess outcomes of the intervention on people: No
- Impacts for people: Not reported
- People measures:
- Considers economic costs: Yes
- Economic appraisal conducted: No
- Economic appraisal described:
- Economic costs of alternative considered: No
- Compared to an alternative: Not reported
Evaluation methodology
- Type of data: Quantitative
- Is it experimental: No
- Experimental evalution done: Not applicable
- Non-experimental evalution done: Empirical case study
- Study is systematic:
Basic information
- Case ID: INT-065-1
- Intervention type: Combination
- Intervention description:
establish species-diverse “woodland islets” in extensive overgrazed areas; Planting of seedlings in 15 fenced plots. restoration occurring within a protected area
- Landscape/sea scape ecosystem management: Yes
-
Climate change impacts Effect of Nbs on CCI Effect measures Biomass cover loss Positive survival rate of planted species Loss of food production Positive measure used not clearly stated. Likely from author observation alone. State "demonstra- ting to shepherds how the establishment of tempora- ry enclosures could lead to a fast improvement of the quality of pastures and a diversi cation of the landscape, with clear bene ts for livestock production and lo- cal livelihoods" - Approach implemented in the field: Yes
- Specific location:
The Shouf Biosphere Reserve (SBR) lies between longitude 35o 28’- 35o 47’ East and latitude 33o 32’- 35o 48’ North at an altitude of 1200 to1980 meters. It is located along a steep mountain range of the Ba- rouk and Niha Mountains, a southern extension of the Mount Lebanon running parallel to the Mediterrane- an coast. Intervention is specifically within municipalities of Fraidees, Barouk (1250-1500 m), Mrusti (1635-1680 m), and Baadarane (1135-1150 m);
- Country: Lebanon
- Habitat/Biome type: Montane/Alpine |
- Issue specific term: Forest landscape restoration
Evidence
- Notes on intervention effectivness: effectiveness determined by before and after implementation comparison (i.e. no control or no-adaptation comparison) land degradation and loss of productivity were the lowest level impacts addressed by the outcome measures but these in turn were caused by drought/water scarcity, extreme weather events such as forest fires and heat waves, pest outbreaks (as well as other anthropogenic factors such as overgrazing) outcomes for ecosystems was selected as the goal of restoration was also for the improvement of the natural habitat and the outcome measure (% survival) directly measures improved habitat
- Is the assessment original?: Yes
- Broadtype of intervention considered: Not applicable
- Compare effectivness?: No
- Compared to the non-NBS approach: Not applicable
- Report greenhouse gas mitigation?: No
- Impacts on GHG: Not applicable
- Assess outcomes of the intervention on natural ecosystems: Yes
- Impacts for the ecosystem: Positive
- Ecosystem measures: plant survival rate of species that "play an important ecological role, attracting seed-dispersal fauna"
- Assess outcomes of the intervention on people: Yes
- Impacts for people: Positive
- People measures: no explicit measure. Authors state livelihood benefits derived from the intervention
- Considers economic costs: Yes
- Economic appraisal conducted: No
- Economic appraisal described:
- Economic costs of alternative considered: No
- Compared to an alternative: Not reported
Evaluation methodology
- Type of data: Mixed qualitative/quantitative
- Is it experimental: No
- Experimental evalution done: Not applicable
- Non-experimental evalution done: Empirical case study
- Study is systematic: