Youth Empowerment through Environmental Restoration Initiatives

The outcomes from successful environmental restoration initiatives represent a multitude of benefits for participating local communitiesand the young people residing within them. Communities benefit from increased land value and the beautification of public areas through the establishment of healthy green spaces and corridors. Also， restored habitats allow for a renewed rise in biodiversity， which may have been previously lost due to human-caused impacts. Increased biodiversity in turn provides opportunities for employment for local young people through ecotourism， as guides for interested visitors. Ecologically， restored places encourage increases in populations of game birds， fish and other animals that are potential food sources for local people. Another often overlooked benefit of restoring habitats such as wetlands， rivers， and lakes is a renewed supply of clean freshwater.

It’s through involvement in environmental restoration projects and initiatives that youth can take an active part in the sustainable development of their local communities， with time being able to take pride in the places they call home and become responsible stewards of the land. Since local youth represent the next generations， encouraging them to take an active role in managing natural resources is vital to preserving the continued health of the environment and promoting sustainable development.

成功的環境修復倡議可以為參與倡議活動的當地社區及居住其中的青年人帶來眾多好處。當地社區獲得的益處包括通過建立健康綠色的空間和走廊而得到的土地附加價值和公共場所的美化。此外，修復動物棲息地可以保障重新實現生物多樣性，這一特性已在之前由于人類活動的影響被失去。不斷增長的生物多樣性反過來可以通過生態旅游為當地青年提供就業機會，他們為感興趣的游客擔任向導。從生態方面來講，不斷修復的地點能促進鳥類、魚類及其他可能被當地人作為食物來源的動物在數量上得以增加。另外一個經常被忽略的好處是，修復的棲息地，如濕地、河流和湖泊可以再次成為清潔淡水的來源。

通過參與環境修復項目和倡議活動，青年人能夠在當地社區的可持續發展中發揮積極作用，逐漸地對他們稱作“家”的地方引以自豪，成為土地的負責任的管理者。當地青年代表了下一代人，鼓勵他們在管理自然資源中發揮積極作用，對維護環境的持續健康和推動可持續發展至關重要。

Successfully spearheaded environmental restoration initiatives geared at actively involving youth may develop into potential income generating ecotourism opportunities and small businesses. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) uses the following definition of ecotourism:

Environmentally responsible travel to natural areas， in order to enjoy and appreciate nature (and accompanying cultural features， both past and present) that promote conservation， have a low visitor impact and provide for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local peoples.

Many areas around large settlements have experienced environmental degradation to some extent or other， and restoring natural habitats and ecosystems is a necessary step in helping to create sustainable income-generating activities such as ecotourism. By involving youth from start of these projects to their completion and ongoing maintenance， youth may gain an appreciation for the importance of preserving natural habitats and resources， as well as a sense of identity and a source of income.

積極促使青年參與領先的環境修復倡議活動有可能發展成為潛在的創收項目，產生生態旅游機會和小企業。世界自然保護聯盟這樣定義生態旅游：

對自然區域的環境負責任，以享受、欣賞并推動保護大自然（及其伴隨的文化特色）為目的，具有較低的游客影響，并為當地民眾提供有利的積極的社會經濟參與的旅游活動。

大型聚居地周圍的許多地區都遭受了不同程度的環境退化，修復自然及棲息地和生態系統是幫助創造如生態旅游這樣的可持續創收活動一個必要的步驟。通過讓青年參與此類項目從開工到完成的全過程，以及隨后不斷開展的維護工作，青年將獲得對保護自然棲息地和自然資源重要性的認知，以及獲得身份認同和收入。

Environmental restoration initiatives represent tools to tackle both environmental problems and youth unemployment in one comprehensive package. Some examples of successful projects involve rehabilitation of riparian areas in lakes and rivers or wetland restoration. A project may be headed by qualified professionals and youth involvement may consist of field teams directly replanting denuded areas， for instance. Restoring a threatened or damaged habitat back to its original ecologically functional state also encourages youth to become aware of environmental/ecological issues and to feel they are making a positive difference in their communities and lives. In this way， successful restoration initiatives involving youth may include a strong training component， an educational component， a direct “hands on” component， and a methodology where they are shown how to turn these opportunities into income generating activities.

Other opportunities for youth empowerment through environmental restoration and protection may be found in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. These serve three basic functions: a logistic function – “to provide support for research， monitoring， and information exchange related to local， national， and global issues of conservation and development”; a conservation function – “to contribute to the conservation of landscapes， ecosystems and genetic variation”; and a development function – “to foster economic and human development which is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable”. Biosphere reserves are hubs of activity where youth can be involved in ecological research and other conservation activities， bridging the gap between development and preservation of the environment. Involvement in these activities may translate into economic gain and empowerment for youth， who may then become exemplary stewards of the land and examples for future generations.

環境修復倡議活動可以一箭雙雕地處理環境問題和青年就業問題。一些成功的項目案例復原了湖泊、河流和濕地周圍的生態。一個項目可由合格的專業人士帶領，青年參與可包括重新綠化裸露地表的戶外團隊活動等。把一個受到威脅或被破壞的棲息地修復到其原本的生態功能狀態，同樣可以激起青年對環境生態問題的認識，意識到他們正在對所生活的社區做出的積極改變。這樣下去，青年參與的成功修復倡議活動包含了強烈的培訓成分、教育成分、直接的“傳承”成分以及可以被展示傳播的如何將機會轉換成創收項目的方法。

通過環境修復和保護為實現青年賦權的其他機會或在聯合國教科文組織生物圈保護區可以找到。這包括3項基本功能：后勤保障功能——“為研究、監督及與當地、國家和全球保護與發展問題有關的信息交換提供幫助”；保護功能——“促進自然、生態及基因多樣性”；發展功能——“培養經濟和人類的社會文化與生態的可持續發展”。生物圈保護區是各項活動的交匯中心，青年可以參與生態研究和其他生態保護活動，縮小經濟發展和環境保護的差距。參與這些活動或可轉變為青年的經濟收入和能力，他們也會變為模范的土地管理員和后代的榜樣。