Presentation by Cora van Oosten on the Global Partnership on Forest Landscape Restoration. The focus is on the learning strategy, learning sites and network development.

1. Global Partnership on
Forest Landscape Restoration
Towards a global learning network of sites
(Bali, May 2009)

2. Global Partnership on Forest Landscape
Restoration
Started around 2005
n International organisations: IUCN, WWF,
PROFOR, UNFF, UNEP-WCMC, IUFRO, ITTO,
ICRAF, CIFOR, FAO, CBD, CARE, ARC
n UK Forestry Commission, US Forest Service
n Growing number of governments
n Growing number of individuals

3. Global Partnership on Forest Landscape
Restoration
Aim:
n Effectively restore the world’s degraded forest
landscapes
n Establish and improve relationships among
resource managers, policy makers,
environmentalists, researchers and other groups
involved in forest landscape restoration
n Encourage the development and use of
innovative FLR approaches and methodologies

4. Global Partnership on Forest Landscape
Restoration
Major achievements:
n International advocacy
n Putting forest landscape restoration in the picture
n Mobilise global interest and financial means

5. Global Partnership on Forest Landscape
Restoration
Yet to be done:
n Link more with site level
n Putting “theory” into “practice”
n Getting local actors involved
n Launch process of collective learning
n Translate lessons learned to policy level

6. GPFLR Learning Network
GPFLR

7. GPFLR Learning Network
Gradually building the learning network:
n January-March 2009: Scoping phase
n April-September 2009: Development phase
n September 2009 onward: Operational phase

8. Scoping report (March 2009)

9. Scoping phase
n Needs and expectations of GPFLR partners
n Needs and expectations of learning sites
n Identification of learning objectives
n Identification of learning strategy
n Identification of opportunities and risks

10. Scoping phase: overall opinion
Positive:
n Linking practitioners, policy makers and academia
n Up-scaling of site experience
n International exposure of site managers
n Fosters creativity and critical thinking
n Dialogue - action oriented - institutional change

11. Scoping phase: objectives
n “Reforest the world”
n Feed policy makers with evidence-based advice
n Further develop FLR concept through shared
learning and practice
n Enhance local FLR efforts

12. Scoping phase: a “cloud” of objectives
Learning
actor actor
site
Site-based
actor
actor learning
Learning Inter-site
learning Innovative
site Learning policy
site advice
Forest
Landscape
Restoration

13. Scoping phase: Knowledge for action
n Pure action networks: lobby & advocacy
n Pure knowledge networks: exchange
knowledge without using that knowledge to
take action (academic networks)
n Knowledge for action: exchange of knowledge
to help practitioners do their work more
effectively
(Source: Brown & Salafsky, 2004, quoted by Conje, 2005)

14. Scoping phase: good practices network
n Information Exchange Network: provision of information,
one-way traffic, info from providers to users
n Research network: formal learning framework, pre-
defined research questions, data collection
n “Good Practices” Network: (in) formal learning
framework, continuous change, learning by doing, two-
way traffic
(Source: Brown & Salafsky, 2004, quoted by Conje, 2005)

15. Good practice network
n No practice is best, many practices are good
n Good practice = Innovative
n Good practice = Effective
n Sustainable
n Good practice = Replicable (?)
Only if shared and contextualised

16. Good practice network
We also learn from:
n Bad practice
n Problems encountered
n Failures
n Difficulties
Only if openly presented and shared

17. Scoping phase: users, producers and connectors
partner
partner partn
er
GPFLR
GPFLR
coordinator
Learning site 1
Learning site 2
actor actor Networ
acto
acto k
r
r facilitato actor
r
Polic
y Learning site 3
Universities
make acto
Policy
r r
make
produce r ITTO
r media
CIFOR
compan
user y public IUFRO
company
connecto media
r

18. Scoping phase: nested networks
Learning process at site level (intra-site)
Learning process at global level (inter-site)

19. Scoping phase: nested networks
§ Strengthening local FLR initiatives
§ Enhancing local multi-stakeholder dialogue
§ Enhancing local networks
§ Connecting networks (“nested” networks)

20. Scoping phase: facilitation
Facilitation of the learning process:
n Both at central, and at decentralised level
n Responsibility of network members
n Local ownership

21. Scoping phase: learning strategy
n Reflective learning
n Issue-driven and output oriented
n Blended learning
n Horizontal and vertical linkages
n Output orientation and action learning
n Capacity development
n North-south and South-south exchange
n Monitoring: learning-by-doing

22. Scoping phase: learning strategy
n Reflective learning
n Issue-driven and output oriented
n Blended learning
n Horizontal and vertical linkages
n Output orientation and action learning
n Capacity development
n North-south and South-south exchange
n Monitoring: learning-by-doing

23. Learning strategy: Reflective learning
After: Kolb’s learning cycle

24. Learning strategy: Reflective learning
Monitor Monitor
Evaluate Act Evaluate Act
Plan Plan
After: Kolb’s learning cycle

25. Scoping phase: learning strategy
n Reflective learning
n Issue-driven and output oriented
n Blended learning
n Horizontal and vertical linkages
n Output orientation and action learning
n Capacity development
n North-south and South-south exchange
n Monitoring: learning-by-doing

26. Learning strategy: issue focused
1. Site level restoration techniques
2. Analysing landscape dynamics (biophysical, socio-economic, institutional)
3. Analysing stakeholders (needs, claims, motivations at various scales)
4. Mechanisms of stakeholder involvement (multi-stakeholder dialogue)
5. Competing and conflicting claims (drivers and influencing factors)
6. Negotiation and conflict resolution
7. Wider policy environment
8. Governance and multi-scale governance (transboundary issues)
9. Defining broader landscape objectives
10. Defining specific restoration objectives
11. Monitoring & evaluation
12. Financing FLR

27. Learning strategy: issue focused
Where to start?
Priority setting per learning site

28. Scoping phase: learning strategy
n Reflective learning
n Issue-driven and output oriented
n Blended learning
n Horizontal and vertical linkages
n Output orientation and action learning
n Capacity development
n North-south and South-south exchange
n Monitoring: learning-by-doing

29. Learning strategy: blended learning
n Real life encounters
“Blended”
learning
n Web-based tools

30. Learning strategy: blended learning
Topical
Site workshops Training
meetings events
Economic
Assessment of rationale of FLR
global restoration
potential
Research
Resources &
documents Web-based learning platform

31. Scoping phase: learning strategy
n Reflective learning
n Issue-driven and output oriented
n Blended learning
n Horizontal and vertical linkages
n Output orientation and action learning
n Capacity development
n North-south and South-south exchange
n Monitoring: learning-by-doing

32. Learning strategy: horizontal and vertical linkages
Horizontal learning:
n Learning at sites
n Learning between site

33. Learning strategy: horizontal and vertical linkages
Vertical learning:
Inter-action between
practitioners,
policy makers, and
researchers

34. Scoping phase: learning strategy
n Reflective learning
n Issue-driven and output oriented
n Blended learning
n Horizontal and vertical linkages
n Output orientation and action learning
n Capacity development
n North-south and South-south exchange
n Monitoring: learning-by-doing

35. Learning strategy: output oriented action learning
n Learning activities translated into tangible action
(document, video, policy brief, article, guidelines)
n Action research: strategic alliance with CIFOR
(Landscape tools initiative)
n Social software (social bookmarking, audiovisuals,
blogs): building social relations

36. Scoping phase: learning strategy
n Reflective learning
n Issue-driven and output oriented
n Blended learning
n Horizontal and vertical linkages
n Output orientation and action learning
n Capacity development
n North-south and South-south exchange
n Monitoring: learning-by-doing

37. Learning strategy: Capacity development
Active participation requires special skills:
n “Technical” knowledge on FLR
n Process facilitation
n Web-based communication

38. Scoping phase: learning strategy
n Reflective learning
n Issue-driven and output oriented
n Blended learning
n Horizontal and vertical linkages
n Output orientation and action learning
n Capacity development
n North-south and South-south exchange
n Monitoring: learning-by-doing

39. Learning strategy: North-South exchange
North-South exchange:
Participation of
Northern/Southern,
Eastern/Western,
Temperate/tropical sites

40. Scoping phase: learning strategy
n Reflective learning
n Issue-driven and output oriented
n Blended learning
n Horizontal and vertical linkages
n Output orientation and action learning
n Capacity development
n North-south and South-south exchange
n Monitoring: learning-by-doing

41. Learning strategy: Monitoring & evaluation
Monitoring of learning networks:
n Multiple objectives and multiple activities
n No linear process
n Outcome unpredictable
n Learning-by-doing
n Site-specific and cross-country action research
n Evaluation end of the first year

42. Learning sites
Selection of learning sites:
n Limited number of enthusiastic “pilot” sites
n Sites proposed by GPFLR partners
n Livelihoods & landscapes sites
n Auto-selection of sites

43. Learning sites
Criteria for learning sites:
n (willing to get) involved in FLR activities
n Willing to comply with FLR principles (dual filter,
multi-stakeholder involvement)
n Willing to share information and learn
n Availability of capable and enthusiastic personnel

44. GPFLR learning sites United Kingdom: Netherlands:
Kielder and Veluwe
Trossachs
China:
Miyun
United States:
South Platte
Thailand
Dong Mae Salong
Indonesia
????
Brazil:
Ghana: Pame Great Uganda: Sudan
Acre Berekum Lakes
Mount
Elgon

45. Scoping phase: pre-conditions for success
n Long term commitment of GPFLR core group ($$)
n Envisaged results and impact have to be clearly
and collectively defined beforehand
n Active participation and contribution of learning
sites (local ownership)
n In-built disposition at site level to disclose
information, release staff time, allocate resources

46. Four initial meetings
Kick-off meetings to get to know each other, define
learning sites and contacts, define learning
priorities
n May: Indonesia
n June: Rwanda (Great Lakes)
n June/July: Brazil
n September: England

47. Indonesia workshop
n To get to know each other
n To share our experiences with FLR
n To define the shape of this network
n To define our learning priorities
n To define the way in which we want to learn
n To define learning sites
n To define roles and responsibilities of actors
involved

48. Web-based support
n Generic GPFLR website:
http://www.ideastransformlandscapes.org
n FLR Learning platform:
http://learning.gpflr.webfactional.com

49. GPFLR website and learning platform

50. GPFLR website and learning platform

51. GPFLR website and learning platform

52. Web-based learning platform