IISER MOHALI

Abstract: Ecological restoration or ecorestoration is the intentional rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems, aiming to recover lost ecosystem structure, function and services. It requires an integrated approach of different disciplines including soil science, hydrology and conservation biology, for assisting ecosystems to recover as well as to prevent, halt, and reverse ecosystem degradation. Ecosystem restoration results in improved biodiversity, water quality, food security, and climate mitigation and resilience, as well as provides direct economic and social benefits to the dependent population. The United Nations launched the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) to prevent and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean. The estimated 55.76 million ha of wastelands i.e. 16.96% of India’s total geographical area needs ecorestoration intervention. The National Action Plan to Combat Desertification, with a focus on land degradation, aims to rehabilitate 26 million ha of degraded land by 2030 and the generation of an additional carbon sink of 2.5 - 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030 through additional tree and forest cover. This necessitates the selection of correct tree species that would sequester maximum carbon for their introduction into these ecorestoration efforts. The author will present successful ecorestoration technologies developed by his group based on long-term scientific studies that culminated in developing effective technologies for restoration of degraded forest (affected by deforestation and shifting cultivation), grasslands and coal mine affected ecosystems of north-east India. Models/methods developed by the author for accurate estimation of carbon stock by different tree species for their use in restoration/carbon mitigation projects will also be discussed. He emphasizes on the fact that good science is a pre-requisite for developing any efficient ecorestoration technology.