Towards More Inclusive and Sustainable Forest Restoration with Community Participation
Sharing expertise for more inclusive restoration
From 2-9 July, Marlène Elias, the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) International Advisor for the Forest Restoration and Climate Change in Armenia (FORACCA) project and an expert from the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, visited Armenia.
During her visit, two workshops were held with representatives of the FORACCA project implementation partners, member organizations of the Forest Alliance of Armenia, the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Participants discussed inclusive approaches to working with communities, gender equality and social inclusion tools, and how to integrate these into the implementation and monitoring of the FORACCA project.
Field visits and community perspectives
An important part of the mission included field visits to the agroforestry project sites of Shen NGO and the forest restoration project areas of the Armenia Tree Project.
Separate focus group discussions with women and men in Lernavan, Lori Province, showed that the community has strong confidence in and high expectations for the established agroforestry site. Participants described it as a thriving green landscape that can contribute to nature restoration, create new sources of income, support ecotourism, and open up new opportunities for young people in the community.
Residents of Mets Sariar also highlighted the positive impact of the afforestation activities carried out by the Armenia Tree Project, noting that they have already contributed to creating jobs in the community, reducing emigration, and improving pasturelands.
Community commitment at the heart of the project
The discussions once again confirmed that the project's greatest strength is the commitment and unity of the community members. Women and men alike emphasized the importance of mutual trust, cooperation, and taking initiative as the foundation for the project's long-term success.
Marlène Elias' professional support and valuable insights made an important contribution to the project. Equally important was the active participation and effective cooperation of all partners and community members, whose engagement continues to strengthen efforts towards more inclusive and sustainable forest restoration.
“The Forest Restoration and Climate Change in Armenia” (FORACCA) project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and co-funded by the four implementing organizations under the Forest Alliance of Armenia, including Shen NGO, Armenia Tree Project NGO (ATP), My Forest Armenia NGO (MFA), and Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC). The project is implemented in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research (WSL) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
