Forests, People and Wildlife

Nature-based solutions for benefiting sustainable development and addressing climate change

The pressures on forests is enormous. As most of the world now recognises, forests play a critical role in sustaining our planet and we need to address the factors causing large-scale forest loss if we are to address the devastating prospects of uncontrolled climate change.

But in many parts of the world, using wood from forests is still a daily requirement for people. Cooking on open fires has been their way of life for centuries and fetching wood from the forest, or from the firewood sellers, is just part of day to day living. Supporting people to change is challenging, especially at the scale needed to make an impact on forest loss.

Our network in Landscape Conservation has vast experience in supporting change in rural communities, with a focus on ensuring that people benefit from change, rather than suffer extra burdens. We have extensive knowledge of community engagement and support, helping to shift from unsustainable activities to sustainable ones, such as enabling forest edge communities to gain from reforestation through the planting of understorey crops, or setting up SME's based on forest friendly products.

As we emerge out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Landscape Conservation will increase its focus on working with local communities and NGOs such that new, nature-based solutions to issues such as deforestation for domestic cooking or heating are at the forefront of our work. We will look to support change to more efficient forms of energy, and new ways of cooking that do not rely on firewood. Our small-scale, rural briquette manufacturing from bio-waste is a great example of what can be achieved when there is commitment from stakeholders.