Using leading and lagging indicators for forest restoration

Liz Ota; Jennifer Firn; Robin Chazdon; Nestor Gregorio; Sharif A Mukul; Ricardo A. G Viani; Claudia Romero; John Herbohn

doi:10.1111/1365-2664.13938

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Using leading and lagging indicators for forest restoration

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Using leading and lagging indicators for forest restoration

Liz Ota, Jennifer Firn, Robin Chazdon, Nestor Gregorio, Sharif A Mukul, Ricardo A. G Viani, Claudia Romero and John Herbohn

Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol.58(9), pp.1806-1812

2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13938

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Abstract

adaptive management

Bonn Challenge

community forestry

FLR

landscape approach

monitoring and evaluation

reforestation

UN Decade in Ecosystem Restoration

1. Forest restoration targets are often planned, implemented, measured, and reported based on few short-term lagging indicators (i.e. indicators of realised outcomes), such as the number of seedlings and area planted. 2. We propose the use of leading indicators, which denote likelihood of a certain outcome (e.g. odds that seedlings are of quality and properly planted) to complement lagging indicators and describe how this construct differs from the current practice and how they can be used in conjunction with available frameworks for forest restoration. 3. Leading indicators have great promise to complement lagging indicators because they address the near-term factors more likely to influence the progress and performance of restoration efforts. For example, secure land tenure (leading indicator) can increase the likelihood of long-term maintenance and protection (lagging indicator), and the use of best practices in quality seedling production (leading indicator) can increase survival rate (lagging indicator). 4. By observing near-term leading indicators, management can be adapted towards a goal. Long-term impacts cannot be verified in the early stages of forest restoration, hence claiming success within the length of project cycles is often unrealistic. Reporting on leading indicators can inform the likelihood that forest restoration goals will be achieved in the longer term. 5. Synthesis and applications: Leading indicators complement lagging indicators and can be used in forest restoration beyond monitoring and evaluation. Indicators can also be used in the design, adaptive management and reporting of restoration interventions. Leading indicators can be used to identify issues that might prevent success in a timely manner so they can be addressed.

Details

Title: Using leading and lagging indicators for forest restoration
Authors: Liz Ota (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
Jennifer Firn (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Robin Chazdon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
Nestor Gregorio (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
Sharif A Mukul (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
Ricardo A. G Viani (Author) - Universidade Federal de São Carlos
Claudia Romero (Author) - University of Florida
John Herbohn (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
Publication details: Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol.58(9), pp.1806-1812; 7
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Date published: 2021
DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13938
ISSN: 1365-2664; 0021-8901
Copyright note: © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Applied Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Organisation Unit: Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Industries Research Centre; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Forest Research Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99545007902621
Output Type: Journal article