Dear Colleagues,
Forest ecosystems generate important ecosystem services and benefits, such as the conservation of biodiversity, the mitigation of climate change, and the regulation of hydrological processes. However, extensive forest lands have been degraded across the world. The restoration of these lands should be of high priority. Research and innovation in the topic of forest restoration is therefore urgent.Advances in forest science and ecology have made it possible to improve restoration techniques, in terms of the choice of species to be used, nursery cultivation, conservation of forest genetic resources, and site preparation and implantation methods, among others. New forest restoration strategies (at the stand and landscape scale) must address issues such as the formation of microenvironments that are more favorable for the survival and development of seedlings, improved efficiency in the use of natural processes (nature-based solutions), the optimization of hydrological processes, and self-protection of the forests against fires.
This special issue seeks to bring together articles that present recent advances in these and other issues related to the restoration of forest ecosystems. We find the following topics particularly interesting:
- Climate-adaptive forest restoration and reforestation
- Forest restoration and carbon sequestration
- Causes of restoration and reforestation failures vs. success. "Lessons learned" in historic forest restorations
- Effects of forest restoration on biodiversity and genetic diversity
- Species selection in the lights of climate change
- Influence of forest restoration on forest-water-soil relationships. Forest restoration and soil conservation
- Development of innovative seeding and planting techniques
- Forest-related ecosystem services
- Socio-ecological aspects in forestry
Prof. Dr. Joaquín Navarro Hevia
Prof. Ilan Stavi
Guest Editors
Special Issue Editors
Hydrology and Conservation Research Group, Catholic University of Ávila, MO 64145 Ávila, Spain
Interests: forest restoration; forest hydrology; erosion and desertification
Interests: forest restoration; forest hydrology; erosion and desertification
Department of Agriculture and Forest Engineering, University of Valladolid, 47002 Valladolid, Spain
Interests: erosion control; forest and hydrological restoration; bioengineering
Interests: erosion control; forest and hydrological restoration; bioengineering
The Dead-Sea and Arava Science Center, Tamar Regional Council, Yotvata 88820, Israel
Interests: agro-ecosystems; food security; geo-ecology; land-use change; surface processes
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Interests: agro-ecosystems; food security; geo-ecology; land-use change; surface processes
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
forest ecosystems
forest restoration
forest soils
reforestation
site preparation
tree planting
vegetation-water-soil relationships