Water-smart Forest and Landscape Restoration Tool​ (W-FLR)

FLR is a long-term, planned process that aims to regain ecological functionality and enhance human wellbeing in deforested or degraded multifunctional forest landscapes. FLR is designed to be a flexible process that includes multistakeholder participation, adequate monitoring and evaluation processes, and adaptive management responsive to social, economic, and environmental change. Any action with cross-sectoral implications on water needs to be carefully planned to avoid unintended side-effects. This means that integrated management of forest and water resources is crucial – not the least in FLR.  ​

Until now, many FLR initiatives have not integrated hydrological processes in the landscape. Furthermore, already existing forest and landscape restoration tools do not address water risks in the landscape, and other available water-relevant tools and best-practices focus on agriculture, downstream areas, and coastal issues.  ​

There is a risk that ill-conceived and poorly defined local-scale FLR measures may reduce local water availability or reduce other ecological functions. It is essential to consider hydrological aspects when restoring forest landscapes, to avoid unintended side-effects and to ensure that restoration efforts are both short and long term successful. Therefore, SIWI is developing the W-FLR Tool.