Framework for evaluating rural ecosystem restoration programs in Asia

Abstract

Climate-induced disasters, such as droughts and floods, have a significant impact on rural areas across Asia, where local livelihoods inherently depend on ecosystem services, necessitating effective and context-specific strategies for building resilience. Ecosystem restoration (ER), a process involving human-assisted recovery of degraded ecosystems, has been widely implemented but insufficiently evaluated, particularly regarding its socioeconomic impacts. In this study, a multidimensional evaluation framework was developed to assess the effectiveness of ER in enhancing rural resilience in Asia. Based on a collaborative data synthesis workshop with researchers from Bangladesh, China, Mongolia and Japan, ecological and livelihood indicators, including climate parameters and temporal assessments, were integrated into the framework. A structured literature review identified 65 case studies across 17 Asian countries that incorporate socioeconomic evaluations of ER. The findings revealed distinct regional characteristics: East Asia emphasises policy-driven land use restoration; Southeast Asia focuses on community-based coastal and forest recovery tied to disaster risk reduction; and South Asia links ER to climate adaptation and traditional knowledge. This study highlights the growing importance of incorporating socioeconomic perspectives into ER and the need for context-sensitive evaluation tools tailored to diverse socioecological systems in Asia.