Water-smart Forest and Landscape Restoration: W-FLR Tool Handbook finalized

Ignoring hydrological processes in restoration can reduce local water availability and alter flow regimes, with consequences for downstream users. Poorly defined measures can undermine ecological functions and compromise the long-term success of restoration efforts. 

To address this challenge, the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), together with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Sida, has finalized the Water-smart Forest and Landscape Restoration (W-FLR) Tool Handbook. 

“Water is not a side issue in forest and landscape restoration — it is central to long-term success. Integrating hydrological considerations from the start is essential to avoid unintended impacts and build resilient landscapes,” says Malin Lundberg Ingemarsson, PhD, Advisor Research & Development at SIWI and co-author of the W-FLR Tool Handbook.  

 Responding to a clear gap 

Forest and landscape restoration (FLR) is a long-term, planned, and participatory process aimed at regaining ecological functionality and enhancing human wellbeing in degraded multifunctional landscapes. Because restoration interventions often have cross-sectoral implications for water, they must be carefully designed to avoid unintended side-effects. 

However, many existing FLR initiatives do not systematically integrate hydrological processes or water resources into planning and implementation. At the same time, available water-related tools and best practices tend to focus on agriculture, downstream areas or coastal systems, rather than the forest–water interface. 

The W-FLR Tool was developed to fill this gap. 

Its overall objective is to assess water risks and opportunities and to mainstream water into FLR-relevant plans and initiatives. The method can be applied in the planning phase of new restoration efforts, as well as in existing and ongoing interventions that need to strengthen water integration. 

 From assessment to roadmap 

The tool guides users through a structured process to map water-related ecosystem services at risk from forest landscape degradation, identify entry points for water in policy and practice, and assess institutional readiness to implement water-smart FLR. 

It supports the development of practical roadmaps to integrate water considerations into national, sub-national and local interventions through policy mainstreaming, capacity building, and implementation of best practices on the ground. 

By integrating water from the outset, restoration initiatives can enhance – rather than compromise – water security, ecosystem services and social equity. 

 Designed for policymakers and practitioners 

The W-FLR Tool is intended for line ministries, agencies and practitioners involved in forest and landscape restoration or related landscape interventions at national, sub-national and local levels. 

This includes forestry and environmental authorities and extension services, basin agencies, NGOs, multi-stakeholder landscape platforms, and development partners. It is particularly useful for actors working across sectors who require practical guidance to align restoration strategies with water governance frameworks and investment decisions. 

 Grounded in field experience 

The W-FLR tool has been tested and applied in partnership with the Forests4Future programme in northern Benin, southern Ethiopia and northwestern Madagascar. A fourth case is currently being developed in central Togo, focusing on gallery forests and siltation problems at landscape and sub-basin scale. 

These applications have helped refine the methodology and ensure that it is adaptable across ecological, institutional, and socio-economic contexts. 

 Recommendations for water-smart restoration 

Based on the development and pilot applications of the W-FLR Tool, several key recommendations emerge for restoration initiatives: 

• Water must be considered early. Integrating hydrological considerations at the initial planning stage prevents unintended impacts and costly redesign later in the process. 
• Stakeholder engagement is essential. Water connects upstream and downstream users, and inclusive dialogue strengthens legitimacy, reduces conflict, and improves long-term outcomes. 
• Context matters. Hydrological conditions, governance structures, and land-use pressures vary widely. Restoration operations must be site-specific and adapted to local conditions, drawing on local and traditional knowledge. 
• Integrated restoration takes time. Bringing together forestry, agriculture, water and climate actors, and stakeholders requires deliberate facilitation and sustained institutional commitment. 

 Strengthening water–forest integration 

Through the W-FLR Tool, SIWI advances its work at the intersection of water governance and landscape restoration. The handbook translates water expertise into practical guidance that supports more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable restoration initiatives. 

 A collaborative effort 

The W-FLR Tool and accompanying handbook were developed through close collaboration with partners and country stakeholders. We thank our Forests4Future partners and national collaborators whose field experience and commitment to water-smart FLR enriched the methodology and grounded it in practice. 

The development of the W-FLR Tool Handbook was funded by GIZ/BMZ and Sida. The finalisation of the handbook would not have been possible without the valuable contributions of our dedicated reference group, the Forest-Water Champions. Their technical insights, constructive feedback, and continued engagement throughout the development process helped ensure that the tool is practical, scientifically robust, and responsive to real-world implementation challenges. 

Moving forward 

The W-FLR Tool will continue to inform dialogue and practice in upcoming restoration processes, including at the 9th AFR100 Annual Partner Meeting in Madagascar. As countries scale up restoration commitments, integrating water considerations will be essential to achieving lasting ecological and social outcomes.