Yara Shennan-Farpón

Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation

IOZ

UCL

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)

Piero Visconti

The Atlantic Forest of Brazil (Mata Atlântica) is one of the world’s top 25 biodiversity hotspots for conservation, lying within the most species rich realm on Earth, the Neotropics. Around 80% of Brazil’s population live within the biome range, creating strong competition for land and natural resources between population and the biodiversity of the area. Only an estimated 11-16% of the original natural habitat remains, and research suggests safeguarding its flora and fauna requires restoring native forest to reach at least 30% of its original extent. This project focuses on plans and mechanisms for forest restoration, analysing the socio-economic and ecological trade-offs of different restoration policy scenarios. This research will assess the options and implications of different restoration pathways to 2050, studying what is defined as successful restoration in an ecological and social context, and what policy frameworks are most likely to increase the chances of a successful outcome for the people and biodiversity of the Mata Atlântica. The project will use a combination of Participatory Scenario Development and partial economic equilibrium modelling. Targeted interviews and scenario workshops will be run, focusing on farm-owners, and researchers and practitioners in the field of restoration. This research addresses important policy questions relating to the restoration of forest across the biome to reach ambitious restoration targets, considering approaches which have the potential to benefit local rural communities, such as agroforestry.

• Yara Shennan-Farpón, Piero Visconti, Ken Norris (2021) Detecting ecological thresholds for biodiversity in tropical forests: Knowledge gaps and future directions Biotropica DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.12999
• Raatikainen, K. J., Purhonen, J., Pohjanmies, T., Peura, M., Nieminen, E., Mustajärvi, L., Helle, I., Shennan-Farpón, Y., Ahti, P. A., Basile, M., Bernardo, N., Bertram, M. G., Bouarakia, O., Brias-Guinart, A., Fijen, T., Froidevaux, J. S. P., Hemmingmoore, H., Hocevar, S., Kendall, L., … Ziemacki, J. (2021) Pathways towards a sustainable future envisioned by early- career conservation researchers Conservation Science and Practice DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.493
• Shennan-Farpón, Y., Mills, M., Souza, A., and Homewood K. (2021) The role of agroforestry in restoring Brazil’s Atlantic Forest: opportunities and challenges for smallholder farmers People and Nature DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10297