Sweden is known for its coniferous forests, but two oak species occur in the south, Quercus robur and Q. petraea, in pure stands or mixed with other species. Oak forests have declined due to land use changes, industrial forestry favoring conifers, and browsing by wild ungulates. Oak grows best on deep, fertile soils but can survive on a range of sites, supporting high biodiversity, and have cultural, aesthetic, and recreational value. The temperate climate is expected to change, and the increased temperature and rainfall potentially will favor oak over other species. Historically, high sowing rates and low-cost labor contributed to successful oak establishment; planting has since become the main method. Interest in seeding is returning, but predation and germination risks make it less certain than planting. Site preparation and high seeding density can help mitigate losses where heavy acorn predation by rodents is expected. Competition from other vegetation requires intensive mechanical site preparation and periodic cleaning operations. Seeding is more successful on abandoned farmland with less rodent habitat and where agricultural practices can be used for site preparation and maintenance. Expensive fencing is required for protection from browsing, especially in the first 10 years. Restoration success requires regular assessment and management, with lower oak seedling densities acceptable if other species are present. Lack of experience among managers is a barrier; more information and communication about successful practices are needed.

Brazil contains 15–20% of the world’s biodiversity, with forests originally covering 88% of its territory, now reduced to about 58%. The country has committed to restoring at least 12 million ha of forests by 2030. Seeding is a cost-effective method for tropical forest restoration, widely used in Brazil, but its effectiveness for species-rich forests is still uncertain due to low establishment rates for many species. Most seeding research has involved relatively few species, and many are short-lived, raising concerns about long-term ecosystem development. Invasive grasses and loss of native species are major barriers to restoration. There is a significant gap between seed demand for restoration and current production capacity. Seed dormancy can be a barrier to rapid establishment; treatments to break dormancy must be tailored to species and site conditions. Large-seeded species and those with certain functional traits (e.g., deep roots, storage cotyledons) perform best. The main sowing methods are broadcast, line, and seeding holes, each suited to different site conditions. Muvuca is a notable technique involving a diverse seed mix for large-scale restoration. High sowing rates are often necessary due to low emergence and establishment rates. Fencing and ant control (especially leaf-cutter ants (Atta spp. and Acromyrmex spp.)) are critical to protect seeds and seedlings from herbivory and physical damage. Ongoing weed control is essential for successful establishment. Seed availability, low establishment rates, and competition with invasive species are the major limiting factors.

On January 15, 2025, American Forests and Planscape convened the 2025 Reforestation Summit at the Google.org offices in San Francisco, California, U.S. This collaborative event combined American Forests’ decades-long experience in post-fire reforestation planning and implementation with Planscape’s innovative, community-driven forest restoration planning platform. The objective of the summit was to initiate the development of an integrated reforestation tool(s) to support an end-to-end pipeline approach to post-fire reforestation. The summit brought together more than ninety leading scientists—both in-person and virtually—from across the United States to advance the state of reforestation science and practice (Figure 1). We first provide a brief summary of the 2025 Reforestation Summit, then describe the decision support tools (DSTs) that were discussed at the summit, and lastly discuss the next steps and challenges for building out an integrated reforestation tool(s).