Scientists have identified "Seed Transfer Zones" to help restore vast areas of degraded land in Brazil.
Published on International Biodiversity Day, the new study divides Brazil into 48 zones, each defined by its climate and soil conditions.
Restoration projects can use these zones to identify which native seeds are best suited to each location under both current and future climates.
The study, led by the University of Exeter with partners from Brazilian and international institutions, maps 48 Seed Transfer Zones across Brazil's six major vegetation regions: Amazon, Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Pantanal and Pampa.
Lead author Mateus Silva said: "Brazil faces a major challenge in the coming decades: restoring millions of hectares of degraded land while responding to the intertwined crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, water insecurity and social inequality.
"Meeting this challenge will require more than simply planting trees. It will require planting the right seeds in the right places.
"Until now, Brazil has lacked evidence-based guidelines on how to move seeds from collection sites to restoration areas.
"We hope this study is a first step toward positioning Brazil as a global leader in large-scale, climate-resilient restoration, ultimately helping to advance the international restoration agenda."
Seed zone 'mismatches'
As climate conditions change, suitable locations for plant species can also shift.
Using unsuitable seeds can compromise restoration projects, reducing survival, resilience and long-term ecosystem recovery.
Due to climate change by the year 2100, the study projects "mismatches" between current and future seed zones on 51-88% of Brazil's land.
This means restoration projects designed only around the current climate may struggle in the future.
The study also identified major imbalances between seed supply and restoration demand across Brazil.
Several regions, especially in the central Brazilian Cerrado savanna, contain large areas requiring restoration but have limited seed harvesting capacity and low remaining native vegetation. Meanwhile, many seed collection networks are concentrated in parts of the Amazon.
These gaps could become a major bottleneck for Brazil's restoration commitments, including the national goal of restoring 12 million hectares of native vegetation by 2030.
Connecting restoration, biodiversity and local livelihoods
The study highlights the growing role of community-based seed networks in Brazil's restoration economy.
Redário is a key player: it brings together more than 30 seed networks, cooperatives, associations and community organisations across the country.
Many people involved in seed collection are Indigenous Peoples, Quilombola communities, smallholder/family farmers, and other Traditional Peoples and Communities, generating income while helping conserve nature.
Commenting on the new research, Eduardo Malta, coordinator of Redário at Instituto Socioambiental NGO, said: "This work is fundamental because it connects science, ecological restoration and the territories where seeds are collected.
"Seed Transfer Zones help better guide production and provide greater security for the circulation and use of native seeds, strengthening seed collector networks and increasing the chances of success of restoration projects in Brazil."
Danielle Celentano, member of Redário's management committee, added: "Large-scale restoration initiatives, public policies and forestry sector companies have a concrete opportunity here to lead this transformation and promote climate resilience by aligning science, practice and impact at scale."
As well as maps of Seed Transfer Zones, the study provides an open framework that restoration practitioners, governments, NGOs and private companies can use to guide seed-sourcing decisions.
The researchers also developed an interactive online platform that allows users to visualise the current and future distribution of Seed Transfer Zones under different climate scenarios.
