Restoration starts in the nursery: Why stronger native tree nurseries matter for credible restoration

Restoration targets in East Africa are unlikely to be met without high-quality native tree seedlings. Nursery systems are a major bottleneck. Weak seed supply, limited technical capacity, poor quality assurance, fragmented markets, and underdeveloped business models constrain the production. Investing in seedling quality improves survival, reduces restocking and maintenance costs, and increases the long-term restoration.