Diversity for Restoration (D4R) tool

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context

• Researchers from Bioversity International have devised a tool named Diversity for Restoration (D4R) for promoting restoration programmes in India.
• Another team from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment helped these researchers to modify the tool for Indian conditions.

Other Details

• In countries like Malaysia, Ethiopia, Columbia, Peru, Burkina Faso, Cameroon the tool is already in use.
• It is modified for India and provides recommendations about a particular tree species for plantations in a specific location.
• This tool will serve the purpose of socio-ecologically responsible restoration and will benefit local communities.

Significance of the tool

• This tool is being claimed to help in enabling appropriate agroforestry and aiding systematic ecosystem restoration programmes in India.
• By using this tool tree species, which match the restoration objectives, are identified along with their ecological benefits.
• It helps in identifying the best suited tree species for a particular geographical region. Hence it promotes sustainable development.
• It will also help in success of restoration of land and ecosystems with minimum instances of failure of plantation programme.
• Thus better decision would be taken regarding selection of the species suitable to local environmental, soil, and geographical conditions.
• This tool contains information on 100 plant functional traits of 237 important native trees of Western Ghats which have socio-economic significance.
• Functional trait provides information on economic and ecological uses of tree like timber, medicine, fruits or other commercial benefits.
• Habitat suitability, threat status are also considered by this tool while identifying suitable species.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/this-new-tool-can-drive-india-s-eco-restoration-initiatives-here-s-how-90335