Restoring degraded riparian forest ecosystems of the Western Ghats for ecological sustainability

The riparian ecosystems of the Western Ghats are highly diversified tropical forest ecosystems. The synergic effect of various threats may adversely affect and reduce the capacity of these riparian ecosystems to resilience, even though they have specific adaptations for living in extreme conditions. These diversity‐rich riparian ecosystems provide critical ecological services such as influencing environmental processes, acting as habitats for both terrestrial and aquatic biota, and supporting the livelihood of the surrounding community. Hence the restoration of such damaged ecosystems is highly significant. This article presents a scheme for sustainable restoration of the disturbed riparian ecosystems with the involvement of multi‐stakeholders. The three‐stage scheme ensures the support and livelihood of the local community, along with the ecological restoration of riparian ecosystems using nature‐based solutions with a scientific approach. The restoration will enhance the ecosystem services, climate change adaptations, and resilience, as well as the carbon sequestration capacity of the tropical region.