Restoration
To protect biodiversity and regulate the climate, humanity not only must protect what remains of the natural world – we must restore some of what has been lost. Restoring degraded landscapes is critical for confronting climate change. To that end, Conservation International’s work focuses on repairing ecosystems that sequester carbon and support wildlife as well as human well-being.
Restoration, for us, is founded on partnership with communities that interact with that landscape.
Why restoration matters
Restoration could remove 400 gigatons of CO2 by 2100 — putting us well on the way toward removing the up to 1,000 gigatons required to stay below the 1.5°C climate tipping point.
Every dollar invested in restoration projects generates an average of $10 in benefits.
Around the world, nearly a billion hectares of degraded land can be restored right now — without affecting the food security of local communities.
Restoration helps support the 2.7 billion people on Earth who depend on nature for at least one basic need.
Restoration through agroforestry alone could increase food security for 1.3 billion people.
Our approach
Science, policy, people
Conservation International works with local communities, governments and the private sector to roll out a range of restoration strategies informed by the latest science and by generations of traditional knowledge.
These approaches are tailored to deliver results across the whole range of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems. Conservation International’s restoration strategy focuses on scale, building on tailored, cost-effective, science-driven approaches through targeted partnerships, innovative financing, and community-led initiatives.
Restoration isn’t just about the environment — it’s about people. Conservation International’s restoration projects help local communities thrive, creating sustainable jobs and economic opportunities that support people.
How we deliver
Community-led decision making
Conservation International puts communities first. We have standardized safeguards policies across our organization, and monitoring frameworks include indicators for climate, community and biodiversity benefits. We have decades of experience working with communities and Indigenous Peoples, and we strive for governance of the highest integrity, with transparent, accountable, inclusive and equitable decision-making processes.
Overlooking Mount Kilimanjaro, Kenya’s Chyulu Hills are home to the Maasai people, small-holder farmers, and some of Kenya's largest elephant populations. But the region faces significant challenges from unsustainable land use and deforestation. In response, a new plan centered on good governance and natural regeneration is underway to restore these iconic hills. Together with key partners, including the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust and the Big Life Foundation, Conservation International aims to restore tens of thousands of hectares of Chyulu Hills savannah woodland and grassland.
Integrating modern and traditional restoration practices
We combine cutting-edge ecological research with the ancient knowledge and practices of Indigenous and local communities. Our country programs use advanced tools including satellite monitoring, biodiversity assessments and climate resilience models to guide restoration efforts, while incorporating the sustainable land-use techniques, cultural practices and deep ecological knowledge of local people. This approach ensures that restoration is not only scientifically sound but also culturally relevant, removing the barriers to participation for local communities.
The Xingu region in northern Brazil is surrounded by Amazon rainforest and the dry savanna of the Cerrado. Over time, this once-thriving ecosystem has been converted into soybean farms and ravaged by the fires. To restore the forests, the people of Xingu implemented a technique known as muvuca that sows a large and varied mixture of seeds (up to 120 species per hectare) to yield native plants, such as cashew and açaí. With support from Conservation International, Indigenous peoples and farmers have worked with Brazil’s Socio-Environmental Institute for more than a decade to perfect this technique, which uses traditional knowledge to return native trees to the land and restore the soil.
Mobilizing the private sector for nature
Estimates suggest that protecting and restoring nature requires around US$ 700 billion annually, yet only about US$ 130 billion is currently being invested each year, leaving a significant gap. Governments alone cannot close this gap, so private-sector investment will be critical to align investments with sustainability goals, reduce risk exposure from environmental degradation, and contribute to global efforts to halt biodiversity loss and mitigate climate change.
The Priceless Planet Coalition is a global initiative led by Mastercard in partnership with Conservation International and other organizations to combat climate change through large-scale reforestation. Launched in 2020, the coalition aims to restore 100 million trees by 2030 in critically deforested regions worldwide. The initiative focuses on reforestation projects designed for long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits, with an emphasis on biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and local community involvement. Conservation International plays a key role in ensuring that restoration efforts are scientifically sound and ecologically sustainable.
Partnerships for global impact
No single entity can address the complexity and scale of the challenge of ecosystem restoration alone. Partnerships that include governments, local communities, organizations and multilateral institutions are essential for mobilizing the necessary resources, expertise and political support. By working together, these actors can align goals, scale up restoration initiatives, and ensure that efforts are sustainable, equitable, and impactful, addressing both environmental and socio-economic needs.
Conservation International is the lead agency in the Global Environment Facility’s Ecosystem Restoration Integrated Program. The program aims to restore 2.2 million hectares of crucial ecosystems such as forests, mangroves, wetlands, peatlands and grasslands across 20 countries. This six-year initiative aims to improve land management, reduce greenhouse gases, enhance water systems and benefit communities to deliver lasting environmental and economic benefits for people and the planet.
Resources
Restoration news
Our priorities
Principles that guide our work: