Science Task Force Paper Spotlight: IUCN-WCPA technical note highlights opportunities and challenges for monitoring ecosystem restoration in protected and conserved areas

A new technical note published by the IUCN-WCPA Restoration Task Force, in collaboration with the IUCN Species Survival Commission Species Monitoring Specialist Group, aims to raise awareness of the challenges and solutions for monitoring ecosystem restoration in and around protected and conserved areas (PCAs). It intends to assist restoration practitioners, protected area managers, and other decision-makers to improve the collection and use of monitoring data as part of adaptive management in ecosystem restoration.

The technical note identifies the main issues and challenges around restoration monitoring in and around protected and conserved areas and summarises potential solutions and tools. The note includes case studies from the Azores, Brazil, Colombia, and South Africa. 

Readers will also find a large number of resources in the reference list. The note concludes that if stakeholders follow a simple set of best practices for the participatory monitoring of environmental and social outcomes, while taking into account issues highlighted in this guidance, this can lead to more impactful ecosystem restoration in and around PCAs for the benefit of people and nature. The full technical note is available for download here.

Stephenson, P.J., Mansourian, S., Borges, P.A.V., Correa, D.C.V., Polanco Fernández, A., Watson, K.M. & Dudley, N. 2025. Opportunities and Challenges for Monitoring Ecosystem Restoration in Protected and Conserved Areas. Technical Note No.24. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN WCPA & IUCN SSC Species Monitoring Specialist Group. 12pp.

This blog is part of a series developed by UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’s IUCN-led Science Task Force (STF). The blog series aims to highlight papers and resources relevant to the UN Decade and ecosystem restoration practitioners. Opinions expressed in these papers are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IUCN or a consensus of its Member organisations.