TRI DRC assisted the elaboration of the Provincial Strategy for the Restoration of Forest and Landscapes in South Kivu, which outlines the priorities and actions to be taken for FLR, including best practices on the protection of watershed, sustainable land management practices for subsistence crops, promotion of fodder production for livestock, and classification of potential restoration options depending on geographic zone. To help elaborate the strategy, TRI DRC brought together the national work group, made up of the various stakeholders such as national ministries, provincial coordination, and local partners, to identify the gaps and bottlenecks for restoration and integrate them into recommendations. TRI DRC also provided recommendations on terms of methodology and approach as well as technical input. By April, 2022, the strategy received local and regional validation as well as technical validation from members of the national technical working group. The strategy, as of October 2023, awaits validation from the provincial assembly, before it can begin implementation.

To contribute to a policy framework that supports landscape restoration, TRI Kenya Tana Delta also worked on integrating restoration and sustainable land management into county policies such as participatory forest management plans (PFMPS) and village restoration action plans as well as national legislation such as the Forest and Landscape Restoration Implementation Action Plan (FOLAREP) and the physical and Land Use Planning Act 2019. TRI helped develop the four PFMPS, both at the county and national level, which outline forest management priorities, how programs will be implemented, and the different roles stakeholders will undertake, by providing technical input and helping convene stakeholders. These plans have been completed and signed by either the Kenya Forest Service or county governments and will be launched later this year. FOLAREP, a major national policy that will advance FLR in Kenya, has been aided by TRI Kenya Tana Delta, which funded the participation of stakeholders in consultations and validation forums hosted by the Kenya Forest Service. In all, TRI has contributed significantly to FLR-focused and -supportive frameworks and continues to facilitate the elaboration of future policies.  

TRI Kenya Tana Delta has worked to mainstream landscape restoration and sustainable land management into county budgetary processes by training members from Community Forest Associations (CFAs) to advocate and lobby for prioritizing FLR in county budgets and by submitting a memorandum through the Tana Delta Conservation Network to influence Tana River County’s fiscal strategy papers. The recommendations on prioritizing FLR in Tana River County’s budget included in the memorandum have since been taken up by the County. Similarly, Lamu county has adopted higher restoration targets in its budget as a result of TRI’s advocacy. This uptake in budget recommendations also follows the capacity building of 34 members drawn from all five CFAs on advocacy and lobbying, including how to engage in county budgetary processes and consultations. The project plans to further train more members of the CFAs to enhance the prioritization of FLR and sustainable land management in county budgets through community participation and empowerment. 

TRI developed a robust communication plan that included the innovative use of radio, banners, and outreach to successfully garner public support for FLR and sustainable land management. The plan included engaging in partnerships with local radio stations with translations into Swahili, which with far reach in rural villages, are more effective in influencing mindsets and practices related to restoration. TRI also took part in printing banners and flyers highlighting restoration-based policies and convening meetings and trainings, including training focused on strengthening the capacity of the Tana Delta Conservation Forum, which targeted community decision-makers and equipped them to identify policy issues and influence the county planning agendas. Additionally, TRI has created a YouTube Channel and worked to develop a far-reach and effective social media presence, which includes identifying local champions who speak on behalf of the project to better connect with local communities. Overall, TRI’s communication plan has been very successful in enhancing policy messages, helping aid enforcement, sensitizing members of the public, and calling for action.

To ensure SFF reform fully considers the roles of SFFs in providing ecosystem services and developing appropriate supporting legal and financial instruments, TRI has worked to ensure that SFF’s governance structures support the goals of FLR and the ongoing conversion of SFFs to public benefit organizations and technical tools upgrade forest resource management planning. This includes providing key suggestions and facilitating the production of a report on innovative governance and management of SFFs. The report analyzed cases from different SFFs that incorporated governance structures focused on restoring and enhancing forest quality and bringing economic and social benefits to surrounding communities. The project also promoted an FLR-based Forest Research Management (FMR) plan developed at the end of 2020 enhancing key forest eco-services, which covered 16 SFFs incorporating institutional structures supporting SFF reforms. The analysis of governance structures and promotion of an FLR-based forest resource management plan also contributed to the creation of guidelines for the development of innovative forest resource management in SFFs. Set to be launched in September 2023 and promoted in 4,297 SFFs nationwide, the guidelines provide a detailed way of how to start to work toward ecosystem service-based management .