Since 2017, the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) has partnered with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM) and its Ecosystem Restoration Thematic Group (ERTG) to co-host global fora on pressing issues in ecological restoration. Previous fora have generated valuable outputs that have informed global initiatives, including the UN Decade Standards of Practice for Ecosystem Restoration and The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS).
Global Forum Meeting at the World Conference
On 29 September, during SER2025, SER hosted the 6th Global Forum in partnership with IUCN CEM and its ERTG, Global Partnership on Forest and Landscape Restoration (GPFLR), International Association of Landscape Ecology (IALE), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It brought together 35 restoration leaders to discuss and develop innovative ideas to advance and scale restoration. The meeting focused on how principles and standards can be enhanced to support the expansion of effective restoration from individual site scale to broader land- and seascape scales.
Restoration often spans ecosystems, territories, borders, and socio-economic systems. Participants explored how to address this complexity through principles and standards that align with existing knowledge across the diverse disciplines that influence restoration, including geography, sustainability science, and ecology. The goal of the Forum was to develop guidance that complements existing frameworks and supports restoration practitioners, policymakers, funders, and other stakeholders in planning and implementing restoration worldwide.
We extend our thanks to all participants for sharing their time and expertise in this important discussion. We look forward to sharing the outcomes and next steps from these conversations in the months ahead.