BioRestNet: a network of biocultural restoration
challenges for an inclusive restoration
Felipe Melo
Nottingham Trent University - UK
What are the current challenges of ecological restoration?
- Improved techniques of restoration 👍
- Informed planning 👍
- Geopolitical momentum 👍
- Environmental justice 👎
- Ecological knowledge gaps 👎
How to pursue environmental justice and develop a competitive research agenda on restoration?
Traditional Ecological Knowledge - TEK
- Knowledge frontier
- De-colonial perspective
- Would benefit from interdisciplinary
- Largely related to nature and livelihoods
TEK for Assessing Landscapes
- Participatory mapping
- Landscape Biographies
- Unforeseen landscape metrics
TEK for Ecology
- Functional ecology of useful species
- Functioning of productive ecosystems
- Role of secondary succession
- Technical recommendations
TEK for adding value to restoration
- Restoration for livelihoods
- Enforcement of alternative knowledge systems
- Environmental Justice
Why a network?
- It is the best way to scale up restoration
- Allows sharing of knowledge
- Strengthen actions
- Disseminate models
An example from the Brazilian Caatinga
- Culturally important species Sena et al (2022)
- Database on plant uses
- Multiple benefits
- Maintain natural features
Toscano et al (in press) Cons Biol
Goals of the BioRestNet
Experimental Design of the BioRestNet in Kenya
Module 1 - Biocultural Inventory
Question: What are the plants and animals that contribute more to both ecosystem functioning and livelihoods?
Assessment of Culturally Important Species
source: Asembling of databases of Culturally Important Species
Meaningful Functional Traits
Module 2 - Landscape Scale
Question: How landscape features affects biodiversity and livelihoods in the Savannah?
Assessing Working Landscapes
- The Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF)
- 100km² landscapes
- 16 cluster
- 10 plots per cluster
Module 3 - Local manipulative experiment
- Simulate biodiversity
- Functional diversity
- Measure Ecosystem Functions
How to mainstream Biocultural Restoration?
- What are the best landscape perspectives?
- How to integrate TEK into productive restoration models?
- How to create an effective network of Biocutlural Restoration?
Thank you
felipe.melo@ntu.ac.uk
NTU-EAC Conference 2025
BioRestNet: a network of biocultural restoration challenges for an inclusive restoration Felipe Melo Nottingham Trent University - UK