Are you a young person dreaming of a world where people and landscapes thrive? The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) is now accepting applications for the 2025 Restoration Stewards program. This is your chance to turn your dreams into action.
About the Restoration Stewards Program
The Restoration Stewards program is a youth initiative rooted in care, landscape leadership, diversity, intersectionality, and intergenerational equity. Launched in 2020 by the Global Landscapes Forum and the Youth in Landscapes Initiative, it aims to support youth-led teams in holistically restoring their landscapes and seascapes while nurturing biocultural diversity.
Program Pillars
The program is built on four main pillars:
- Funding: A grant of EUR 5,000 for project development.
- Learning Opportunities: Access to training and educational resources.
- Mentorship: Guidance from experts in the field.
- Spotlighting at Global Events: Opportunities to present your work on global stages.
Selected teams are supported for one year to further develop their vision, deepen their impact, and become ambassadors for restoration at global and local levels.
Benefits of Being a Restoration Steward
As a Restoration Steward, you will receive:
- Mentorship: Guidance from experienced professionals.
- Professional and Project Development: Access to training and resources.
- Funding: A grant of EUR 5,000 to enhance your restoration project.
Project Objectives:
- Set specific targets with the help of mentors and GLF experts.
- Participate in training activities to deepen your understanding of the landscape approach.
- Organize at least one event to engage local communities.
- Collaborate with the GLF team to promote your project on social media.
- Create content for GLF platforms to provide updates and share inspiring stories.
- Regularly meet with the GLF team and mentors to discuss project progress.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply, you must be:
- A young, ambitious restoration practitioner between 18 and 35 years old.
- Leading or part of a youth-led and youth-driven team.
- Working on an ecosystem restoration project for oceans, wetlands, peatlands, mountains, forests, drylands, or rangelands.
Additional Requirements:
- You can build on existing restoration projects; there is no need to create a new project from scratch.
- Proficiency in English is beneficial, as many program activities are conducted in English.
Application Process
The selection process is competitive. To prepare a strong application, ensure you clearly showcase your work and its impact.
Application Questions
About You:
- Describe your restoration experience (200 words).
- Create a one-minute video explaining why you want to become a Restoration Steward. Share this video on social media or via an unlisted YouTube or Google Drive link and include the link in your application.
About Your Project:
- Provide the name of your project.
- Describe the landscape you are restoring, its current state, the main drivers of degradation, and why you chose this project (200 words).
- Outline your project objectives and activities, explaining how your project uses a landscape approach and aims to bring positive change to local communities (400 words).
- Explain your vision for the project one year after completing the program (200 words).
- Prepare a one-page PDF or Word document detailing how you will use the EUR 5,000 seed funding.
- Attach a photo of your project area.
For more information, visit the Restoration Stewards Program.