TREES: Accompanying Research on Restoration

Full Solution

by Dr. Katharina Löhr, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)

Landscape Ethiopia

Shibire Bekele Eshetu

Restoration as a complex issue requires joint actions. Collaboration of policy makers, practioners and scientists is needed to develop and monitor context specific best-fit solutions to regain ecological integrity and enhance human wellbeing in deforested or degraded landscapes. Currently, emphasis is put on ecological and technical solutions thereby neglecting the social dimension of restoration. To strengthen social-ecological focus on restoration and collaboration at the science-practice interface, TREES project performs accompanying research on FLR strategies implemented by GIZ's global project Forests4Future (F4F). Hereby, focus is put on ecological and socio-economic effects as well as questions on governance. Master and PhD students based at universities in Germany and in F4F implementing countries are selected to work on project relevant topics in a tandem approach. Whilst each student has his/her individual research focus, data collection is planned and implemented in the binational tandems.

Last update: 06 Dec 2024

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Contexto

Défis à relever

Erosion

While traditional academic research is often problem-driven, it often lacks an implementer who uses results and recommendations for practical implementation. Accompanying research bridges this gap by addressing the time delay between research and on-the-ground action. The accompanying research offered opportunities to produce knowledge that has direct practical relevance and meets high academic standards through the interaction of hands-on practice and scientific analysis. By involving the development actors in transdisciplinary research, an iterative feedback loop in research design generated useful information and recommendations that are input for the successful implementation of the project.

Scale of implementation

Local

Subnational

National

Multi-national

Ecosystems

Tropical deciduous forest

Tropical evergreen forest

Tema

Adaptation

Mitigation

Ecosystem services

Erosion prevention

Restoration

Ubicación

Arba Minch, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia

Tchamba, Centrale, Togo

Diana, Madagascar

Yoko, Centre, Cameroon

Mékrou, Alibori, Benin

West and Central Africa

East and South Africa

Procesar

Summary of the process

The accompanying research contributes to the international body of knowledge on the implementation of the Forest Landscape Restoration program. The aim is to create wide awareness of evidence-based recommendations through the documentation, publication, and dissemination of scientific findings from different countries. ZALF is coordinating the accompanying research by providing supervision and co-supervision to the different researches conducted in the country of implementation. The PhDs and Master students interact in tandems to work on interlinked research projects. The results from different country-based research are intertwined, and cross-country research implications and policy briefs are developed to bring lessons from different countries of implementation. The research outputs are communicated in different formats that are customized to the audience. Overall research outcomes are timely communicated within the interface of science and practice together with GIZ Forests 4 Future project to take result recommendations to the implementation.

Building Blocks

International research tandems and co-

To facilitate global collaborations, strengthening of international research structures, capacity building and global learning, the TREES project as solution strongly builds on international partnerships. The team itself is composed in most of the countries of international research tandems, whereby PhD and Master students originate from the country of study as well as Germany or other country. Whilst each student has his/her individual research focus, data collection is planned and implemented in the binational tandems. Supervision is provided in international supervision tandems whereby in each country a university is taking the country lead and co-supervision is provided by the project lead organization.

Enabling factors

Setting up binational research teams contributes toward enhanced complexity thinking through integration of multiple perspectives and disciplines. This facilitates research on FLR implementation for enhanced analysis and solution development as well as capacity building and global learning through North-South and South-South collaborations. Joined field visits can facilitate students’ access to study sites, interaction with actors on the ground, and increased samples sizes if questionnaires are combined.

Lesson learned

Establishing international PhD and Master student research tandems and building international co-supervision teams opens up new learning spaces and opportunities for collaborations. Different expertise and perspectives can be integrated in the different PhD and Master Thesis study projects, research design and implementation. Diversified research methods can be implemented in a complementary way to deepen FLR related analysis and combined interpretation perspectives enrich research output. If questions on data arise or verification is needed upon completion of the field trip, the tandem structure facilitates follow up field visits for complementation or verification of results. Knowledge derived and communicated via multiple channels in Germany and the F4F countries can enhance dialogue at the policy, practice, science interface within and across countries.

International research stays

An annual international mobility program of 3 months per year was set up for all PhD students based in the countries of F4F implementation. The programme was designed in a way that all PhDs came to the host institution in Germany (ZALF) at the same time, in order to facilitate a structured PhD supervision system. Whilst in Germany, the stay consisted of multiple interlinked components, such as: desk-based research activities, integration in host institution’s meetings and events, joined workshops on project planning, methods trainings, reflections on PhD progress (chances and challenges), in-person status meetings with GIZ/F4F, as well as joined outreach activities including for example a symposia by GIZ and ZALF on restoration in the Global South in Bonn and a workshop on the concept of Accompanying research at TropentagConference2023 in Berlin. Students were also encourage to participate in further trainings and conferences depending on individual interests and needs.

Enabling factors

Setting up an international mobility program that hosted all PhD working in and on the various implementing countries at the same time allowed for in-person team work which strongly impacted on the growth of mutual trust, and high quality communication and collaboration, that was essential also for the project progress and success during the period of remote team work. In addition, the aligned research stays enhanced cross-country thematic exchange, fostered synthesis research and contributed toward enhanced North-South and South-South dialogue and capacity building overall. With three mobility stays in consecutive years, PhD students embarked on a joined journey with regular points of interaction and reflection on research topic and PhD related activities. Positive effects became increasingly visible over time relating to team trust and intensity of collaboration, PhD research related knowledge and skills and cross-country and synthesis research rising.

Lesson learned

Setting up a structured international mobility stay program not only allowed for the international research experience at a partner institute in Germany (ZALF), but also the direct interaction of the various team members. This way, much space was created to research, discuss and learn jointly. Joined project planning workshops, trainings on selected methods and approaches that were used by team members in different country packages, but also PhD planning and reflection workshops were organized during the time. Mobility stays also allowed direct interaction with GIZ/F4F Global team and other actor of science, policy and practice through joined symposia, workshops and attendance of international conferences.

Synergy research

The TREES project employs a multi-scale, cross-disciplinary approach to synthesize data from environmental, social, and economic analyses, providing a holistic understanding of FLR impacts across Africa with a key focus on East and West Africa. To achieve this goal, the overall objective is to mitigate the impacts of climate change in Africa through synthesis research that informs FLR policies and practices. This approach allows for a nuanced understanding of FLR practices and their impacts, which are adaptable across different regions. By combining data from various disciplines, including environmental science, social science, and economic analyses, the project provides a holistic understanding of FLR practices and their complex interplay. Therefore, similar research methods are applied in order to look into similar problems under different contexts. The multi-disciplinary research methods applied in different countries are contextualized to come up with research based tailored solutions to the context of the country.

Enabling factors

Whilst PhDs focus on country-specific topics, the synergy project allows cross-country synthesis to contribute toward the upscaling and outscaling of FLR-related research outputs, experiences obtained and practice. Additionally, Master thesis research supports the overall project context by dealing with specific topics at a country level. The research conducted by the master's and PhD students are intertwined, and research outputs deepen if the results can be compared and recommendations can be drawn from the context of one country to the other.

Lesson learned

Research on FLR across different implementation countries is interrelated. Successful local practices identified through the project are advocated as models for adaptation and scaling across diverse contexts, enhancing contributions to the global FLR agenda.

This diverse geographic representation ensures that the project benefits from a wide range of perspectives and experiences relevant to different ecological and socio-economic contexts across Africa. The project generates actionable insights for climate action and land restoration efforts beyond case studies, allowing for conclusions and recommendations drawn across different contexts and scales (local to regional/African). Research results help to underpin FLR practices developed by F4F scientifically.

Dissemination and learning

Developing different dissemination methods strengthens communication within the interface of research, policy, and practice. While a study's core findings may remain consistent, the way these results are shared must be tailored to suit the specific needs, preferences, and capacities of different stakeholders. This approach ensures that the information is not only accessible but also impactful, empowering stakeholders to make informed decisions or take appropriate action.

For example, within the context of accompanying research in FLR implementation, the way results are communicated to implementers and policymakers differs from the approach used for academic audiences. Policymakers and implementers often operate in fast-paced environments where they require clear, concise, and actionable information. Policymakers and implementers benefit most from concise, straightforward communication that highlights actionable insights, often set apart from the detailed and structured format of scientific articles.

By recognizing and adapting to these differences, our project as accompanying research bridges the gaps between evidence generation and practical application, fostering stronger connections and more meaningful collaborations between the worlds of science, policy, and practice.

Enabling factors

The success of applying different outreach mechanisms depends on the research team's strong commitment to tailoring result communication styles to different audiences. The research results are prepared to be published in scientific journals, but also in form of factsheets, policy briefs, and posters, which are designed to communicate results to non-academic stakeholders. The cooperation with FLR implementers also enables the accompanying research to successfully organize participatory workshops at the local level, webinars and joined symposia whereby research and practice complementary outputs and ideas are discussed. Findings are also incorporated into university lectures and curricular.

Lesson learned

In the frame of our research project, we customise the dissemination and outreach strategies to align with the needs and contexts of our diverse stakeholders. For local implementers and communities, communication is designed to be interactive and engaging, relying heavily on oral presentations and visual tools such as posters or leaflets as well translation to local languages. These are combined with dialogue to facilitate mutual understanding and encourage collaboration. By tailoring the approach to fit the audience, whether it be policymakers requiring concise briefs or local communities needing participatory and visually oriented methods, we ensure that the core message of our research is effectively conveyed and supports real-world application. By organizing different webinars where both research and practice are presented on the same platform, we exchanged and developed strategies that help in communicating research findings to non-academic audiences. Furthermore, through presentations at different conferences, our research outreach mechanism has grown to a wider audience in addition to the FLR implementation countries.

Impacts

The solution contributed toward more systematic academic research on restoration, incorporating different knowledge bases from science, policy, and practice, as well as the field in particular. Cross-country synthesis research relating to restoration and climate change adaptation was enhanced, coupled with diverse dialogue activities that enhance knowledge circulation between various actor groups from local to global scale. Results also directly fed into the operational planning of restoration implementers. On the social side, the projects promoted the need for more integrated social-ecological approaches by engaging deeply with various stakeholders locally but also exploring how restoration activities interlink with societal relations, providing an opportunity to better plan future activities in a way that they benefit society and the environment simultaneously. Stakeholder interaction patterns were also assessed more deeply, making evident imbalances between different actors and thus possible entry points to work toward more equal and just involvement in FLR.

Beneficiaries

The accompanying research beneficiaries are the stakeholders who work on FLR and can implement the recommended FLR options, draft and implement policies, and engage with local communities.

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 2 – Zero hunger

SDG 13 – Climate action

SDG 15 – Life on land

Story

Focus Group Discussion in Togo conducted by MSC and PhD students

Reserach data collection in Tandem

Chiara T

"When I arrived in Germany two years ago for my first research stay at ZALF, I was thrilled. This was an important step in my PhD journey. It gave me the opportunity to work in an international research environment. The opportunity to expand my network has been one of the most rewarding parts of my experience. I met talented colleagues whose perspectives broadened my understanding of my research through my work in the SusLand group. Beyond ZALF, conferences and training courses across Germany and Europe helped me to connect with researchers in different fields. This sparked new ideas that enriched my work. These interactions were crucial and helped me to see my research in new and exciting ways. Working with TREES brought together students from Africa to learn from each other. We shared experiences and supported each other. At ZALF, I made sure to take full advantage of the resources available to me. Whether it was participating in workshops, engaging in discussions with colleagues, or seeking feedback on my work, I used every opportunity to learn and grow. But above all, the support of my colleagues and supervisors in the TREES project and SusLand made a significant difference. The connection I shared with other African students and the wider international group was a source of encouragement. Their understanding helped me navigate the challenges and reminded me that I wasn’t alone in this journey."

By PhD Candidate: Hamy

Madagascar, Antananarivo/ZALF

“Participating in the TREES project was a transformative experience that showcased the power of international collaboration. As part of my MSc research on forest landscape restoration, I had the unique opportunity to work within an international tandem at ZALF. This approach, which pairs students from Germany with local students in the study country, created a vibrant exchange of knowledge and perspectives. Beyond the tandem collaboration, weekly meetings with MSc and PhD students working on FLR globally were a crucial support throughout my master's thesis. This interdisciplinary team, with students from various countries and academic levels, guided the initial stages of my research design through the final stages of my thesis. I highly encourage anyone interested in restoration and sustainability to embrace opportunities like this. Not only do they broaden your academic horizons, but they also foster personal growth and a deeper understanding of the complexities of global restoration efforts”.

By MSc. Student: Chiara

Freiburg University