Money Granted to Keep Up the Impressive Work on Restoring Forests

Since 2017, the Restoring Mediterranean Forests Initiative has been working hard to restore degraded forests along the Mediterranean. The United Nations has recognized it as one of the seven World Restoration Flagships, and thus, it receives financial support to further its impressive activities.

“In the past, reforestation in the Mediterranean region was primarily aimed at creating forest cover. Today, our approach has pivoted, using forests and reforestation as essential components for landscape restoration, encompassing both forests and rangelands,” emphasizes Ümit Turhan, Deputy Head of Department, General Directorate of Forestry of Türkiye. “This paradigm shift includes involvement from shepherds, local communities, youth, and women to reverse degradation, enhance the local dairy product value chain, ensure food security, and alleviate poverty.”

The Restoring Mediterranean Forests Initiative encompasses nations like Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and Türkiye. Even though the Mediterranean basin is the world’s second-largest biodiversity hotspot, 16% of its forest species risk extinction due to drought, extreme heat waves, and wildfires. Since 2017, the Initiative has restored some two million hectares, and eight million more will be restored by 2030, including targeting wildfire-affected areas under the Agadir Commitment. Under the leadership of the UN Environment Programme and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Restoration Flagship aims at preventing, halting, and reversing the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean. Global commitments over the years have led to the restoration of one billion hectares, an area larger than China.