The REDD concept has now expanded to REDD+, encompassing also “conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks”. This opens an opportunity for carbon-focused forest restoration efforts.  It would be wise to monitor national REDD+ strategies as they develop, and offer feedback to encourage the inclusion of forest restoration where this would offer both carbon and biodiversity benefits. Both the major intergovernmental funds supporting REDD+ readiness and pilot activities, the UN-REDD Programme and Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), have biodiversity objectives and could be willing to support forest restoration activities. Of the REFORLAN countries, all are FCPF members, and Argentina and Mexico now have ‘observer status’ within UN-REDD.  Mexico most frequently uses the language of biodiversity conservation and forest restoration in its submissions to UNFCCC and technical documents. 

This report has been prepared under the European Community Sixth Framework Programme contract number 032132.