Afforestation Strategies and Ecosystem Management

Afforestation—the intentional establishment of forests on lands that have been historically treeless—has emerged as a cornerstone of global efforts to mitigate climate change, enhance biodiversity and deliver a suite of ecosystem services. Contemporary strategies span species selection, spatial targeting and adaptive management to balance carbon sequestration with food security, water resources and local livelihoods. Mixed-species plantations and natural regeneration approaches are increasingly favoured for their resilience to pests, climatic extremes and long-term productivity. Effective ecosystem management integrates ecological monitoring, stakeholder engagement and policy instruments to guide where, when and how trees are planted. Advances in decision science enable planners to assess trade-offs among carbon storage, water yield and habitat provision, while natural capital frameworks ensure that social, economic and cultural values are factored alongside biophysical metrics. Globally, afforestation underpins Nationally Determined Contributions and ‘net zero’ commitments, but its success hinges on aligning incentives for landowners, avoiding perverse outcomes on peatlands or agricultural soils and securing long-term governance of planted woodlands. By synthesising lessons from ecological theory, remote sensing and field trials, researchers and practitioners strive to refine planting designs and management prescriptions that deliver multifunctional landscapes.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Afforestation Strategies and Ecosystem Management publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in afforestation strategies and ecosystem management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Afforestation: The establishment of forest stands on land that has not been forested in recent history.

Carbon sequestration: The capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide in biomass and soils.

Ecosystem services: The benefits provided by ecosystems, including climate regulation, water purification and cultural values.

Natural capital: The stock of natural resources and ecological systems that yield a flow of valuable goods or services.

Spatial targeting: The practice of prioritising specific locations for intervention based on ecological, social and economic criteria.

References

1. Spatially targeted nature-based solutions can mitigate climate change and nature loss but require a systems approach. One Earth (2023).
2. Not seeing the carbon for the trees? Why area-based targets for establishing new woodlands can limit or underplay their climate change mitigation benefits. Land Use Policy (2020).
3. A review of planting principles to identify the right place for the right tree for ‘net zero plus’ woodlands: Applying a place‐based natural capital framework for sustainable, efficient and equitable (SEE) decisions. People and Nature (2022).