Imagine landscapes where the soil is dry as dust, rivers barely trickle, and forests have vanished.
This is the reality in many parts of the world, where land degradation is threatening ecosystems and economies alike.
Up to 40 percent of the world’s land is degraded, affecting more than 3 billion people worldwide and with dire consequences for the climate, biodiversity and human livelihoods.
We must urgently restore this degraded land – but this will require professionals equipped with the right set of skills grounded in science, local knowledge and community partnerships.
Countries have promised to restore millions of hectares of land by 2030 through global and regional initiatives such as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and AFR100 in Africa.
In 2024, the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) launched its Pan-African Restoration Education program, which has equipped 247 university students across five African countries with the technical and social tools to restore ecosystems and reshape futures.
Ready to join them? Here are five essential skills that can help turn your passion into impact.
Landscape restoration is complex work – spanning multiple years, ecosystems and diverse stakeholders.
From financing to fieldwork, strong project management is what keeps it all on track. It ensures that restoration efforts are cost-effective, resilient to climate variability and grounded in local priorities. Without it, even the most well-funded projects can lose direction and momentum.
To move from bold commitments to real impact on the ground, restoration planners need clear pathways, practical tools and guidance rooted in science and equity.
Projects must be ecologically sound, socially inclusive and economically viable – and that requires skillful coordination from the start.
Thinking of starting your own restoration project? Here are seven steps to launch your journey, from vision to action.
Successful restoration is rooted in inclusive dialogue, uniting smallholder farmers, Indigenous leaders, government agencies, businesses and NGOs.
Skilled facilitators play a key role in designing trust-building processes that turn diverse interests into shared goals and collective action.
By building strong partnerships with various stakeholders, ranging from local communities to research institutions and government bodies, we can not only strengthen collaboration but also expand impact and secure resources and long-term funding.
Restoration is inherently scientific – because without science and data, well-meaning efforts can unintentionally harm ecosystems.
Before restoring, it’s important to understand the land use challenges driving degradation. This includes participatory consultation and assessing land tenure, biophysical features and socio-economic context.
Equally crucial is to collaboratively select restoration approaches suited to your landscape – whether that’s tree planting, natural regeneration or agroforestry.
Data and ecological knowledge can help you design context-appropriate, inclusive and ecologically sound restoration strategies that align with community and commercial objectives.
Ultimately, it’s about building long-term ecosystem resilience through thorough landscape assessment and genuine stakeholder engagement.
Integrating gender, equity and social inclusion (GESI) is an essential skill for anyone restoring landscapes.
Restoration is not just a technical or ecological challenge – it is deeply social. Land degradation and restoration efforts affect people differently based on their gender, age, socioeconomic status and other intersecting factors.
By learning GESI-related skills, you’ll be able to better analyze power dynamics, understand who is included or excluded from decision making, and ensure that restoration processes reflect the priorities and knowledge of marginalized groups.
This leads to more equitable, context-sensitive and sustainable outcomes.
Ultimately, restoration strategies are more likely to succeed – and endure – when they are shaped by and serve the full diversity of people who depend on the land.
GESI is not an add-on; it’s a core capability for building resilient landscapes and just systems.
Restoration doesn’t end with implementation. Rather, it begins a new phase: communication.
To inspire change, secure funding or influence policy, restoration professionals must share their work in clear, compelling ways.
Strategic communication transforms technical reports into relatable narratives that connect with diverse audiences, from policymakers to community members.
Storytelling helps bridge the gap between science and emotion, making restoration efforts more visible, relatable and impactful.
A strong communicator can identify overlooked voices near forest sites, understand how people relate to forests and craft messages that strengthen those connections.
Whether it’s through engaging stories, public speaking or inclusive outreach strategies, effective communication fosters collaboration, trust and long-term support.
In restoration, stories don’t just tell. They mobilize.
To empower landscape professionals with the essential skills for successful restoration projects, the CIFOR-ICRAF Digital Campus offers tailored courses designed to build practical expertise and leadership.
Here’s a toolkit featuring five key skills and courses to help you master each one.
1. Skills Accelerator: Project Management: Learn how to lead landscape projects with real-world approaches designed specifically for your sector.
2. Inclusion in Multi-Stakeholder Platforms: Gain practical strategies to facilitate meetings, build trust and foster strong, lasting partnerships.
3. GlobUNT Tool Guide: Access science-backed tools to guide your restoration choices and maximize positive impact.
4. Gender and Inclusion in Forest Landscape Restoration: Learn culturally sensitive, practical tools to embed equity and inclusion in your restoration efforts.
5. Skills Accelerator: Public Speaking: Develop confidence and techniques to deliver compelling, memorable messages on any stage.
Want to learn more? The Landscape Academy provides free, open-access courses on foundational topics like ecosystem restoration, sustainable land use and landscape finance. Developed with partners like FAO and Yale-ELTI, it’s suited for those starting out in the field.
The Digital Campus offers a more tailored and immersive experience for landscape professionals seeking to build their practical skills and engage with a learning community. Supported by CIFOR-ICRAF and the GLF network, it includes customized courses, peer learning, expert feedback and hands-on opportunities.
Embark on your learning journey today!
Finally…
…thank you for reading this story. Our mission is to make them freely accessible to everyone, no matter where they are.
We believe that lasting and impactful change starts with changing the way people think. That’s why we amplify the diverse voices the world needs to hear – from local restoration leaders to Indigenous communities and women who lead the way.
By supporting us, not only are you supporting the world’s largest knowledge-led platform devoted to sustainable and inclusive landscapes, but you’re also becoming a vital part of a global community that’s working tirelessly to create a healthier world for us all.
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