Himalayan restoration needs community-led, landscape-level approach: experts

GANGTOK,: Restoration of the Himalayan landscape must move beyond plantation targets and adopt a community-led, landscape-level approach that integrates ecological recovery with livelihoods, climate resilience and local knowledge, experts said at an international technical workshop held in Sikkim.

The three-day workshop on “Developing a Strategic Framework and Manual for Landscape Restoration in the Himalaya” was organised by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) through The Himalaya Initiative from September 29 to October 1.

The meeting brought together scientists, government forest officials, researchers, conservation organisations and restoration practitioners from India, Nepal and Bhutan to develop a strategic framework and operational manual for landscape restoration across the Himalayan region.

Opening the workshop, Dr. Eklabya Sharma, strategic advisor and director of The Himalaya Initiative, ATREE, described the Hindu Kush Himalaya as the “third pole” and the “water tower of Asia”, stressing that restoration should be viewed as natural infrastructure for climate resilience and a development vehicle rather than only a conservation intervention.

He called for a shift from short-term, target-driven projects to long-term landscape-level interventions and emphasised that communities should be treated as co-owners of restoration efforts rather than merely participants or beneficiaries.

A key theme of the workshop was the need to move beyond measuring restoration through the number of trees planted or their initial survival rates.

Dr. Aditya Pradhan, postdoctoral research associate at ATREE, presented the organisation's Multifunctional Socioecological Landscape Restoration Framework, which integrates ecological, social and livelihood considerations.

The proposed framework takes into account the wide variations in elevation, ecosystems, land-use systems, tenure arrangements and community needs across the Himalaya. It outlines a five-step decision-support pathway covering feasibility and land-tenure consent, baseline assessment, nursery sourcing, site preparation and outplanting, followed by monitoring of socio-ecological indicators.

Experts said restoration strategies must also recognise traditional knowledge and local ecological practices.

Dr. Rajesh Joshi of the GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment said restoration should move from site-specific plantation targets to landscape-level ecosystem health, with traditional knowledge holders recognised as custodians.

Prof. Santaram Joshi of North-Eastern Hill University highlighted the importance of microbial diversity, locally adapted nurseries and farmer knowledge, while warning that climate change could increase risks from plant pathogens and emerging diseases.

The workshop also showcased restoration experiences from across the region.

Munmun Tamang of Red Panda Network Nepal presented a community-led habitat restoration programme for the endangered red panda, which has restored 142 hectares and planted more than 142,000 seedlings. Survival rates improved from 44 per cent in 2023 to 78 per cent in 2025 following greater post-plantation stewardship and monitoring.

From Bhutan, Tashi Yangki of the Bhutan Ecological Society presented the RESTORE BHUTAN initiative, which aims to restore 50,000 hectares of degraded forest by 2030 through partnerships involving Conservation International, the Bhutan Trust Fund and the Bhutanese government.

Participants also discussed restoration initiatives in other parts of India, including the ASPIRE Project in the Agasthyamalai region and landscape restoration work in Himachal Pradesh involving communities, women’s groups and school students.

The proposed operational manual focuses particularly on areas outside protected zones in the Darjeeling-Sikkim region, including ecological corridors, abandoned agricultural land and degraded areas. Its application is intended to cover alpine, riverine and agro-ecosystems as well.

According to ATREE, the initiative has so far restored 193 hectares and established six community-based nurseries, creating livelihood opportunities alongside restoration activities.

Participants identified several challenges, including fragmented land ownership, difficult terrain, transportation constraints, unpredictable monsoons, inadequate availability of native planting material and withdrawal of landowners after agreements.

They called for credible community benefit mechanisms, including non-timber forest products, medicinal plants, local enterprises and eco-tourism-linked opportunities.

The workshop concluded with a field visit to Panbu and Toplang in Kalimpong, where participants interacted with communities and observed restoration activities.

Experts said successful restoration in the Himalaya would require sustained collaboration among governments, scientific institutions, conservation organisations, communities, funders and international partners.

The workshop concluded that restoring the Himalaya cannot be achieved through isolated plantation drives or short-term projects, but requires long-term systems that combine scientific monitoring with traditional knowledge and place communities at the centre of landscape stewardship.