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All kinds of ecosystems can be restored, including forests, farmlands, cities, wetlands and oceans. Restoration initiatives can be launched by almost anyone, from governments and development agencies to businesses, communities and individuals. That is because the causes of degradation are many and varied and can have an impact at different scales. For instance, degradation may result from harmful policies such as subsidies for intensive farming or weak tenure laws that encourage deforestation. Lakes and coastlines can become polluted because of poor waste management or an industrial accident. Commercial pressures can leave towns and cities with too much asphalt and too few green spaces. 
Restoring ecosystems large and small protects and improves the livelihoods of people who depend on them. It also helps to regulate disease and reduce the risk of natural disasters. In fact, restoration can help us achieve all of the Sustainable Development Goals. 			 			 			 			 			 			 			 			 The Vatican took up the call to return to caring for the environment issued by the United Nations General Assembly, which has declared the years 2021 to 2030 the United Nations Decade for Ecosystem Restoration. As a way to begin this series of postage stamps tied to environmental issues, we wished to start with an element that is as simple as it is basic to the life cycle; that is, the seed, which grows in the earth, and thanks to the warmth of the sun is able to mature, just as our environmental and ecological consciousness must evolve. The Vatican stamp dedicated to restoring ecosystems bears a value of €7.00 and gives witness to a personal commitment for protecting the environment. In the production of these 45,000 Vatican stamps, 3.9 million elements of polyester yarn were used, obtained through the recycling of 4,000 plastic bottles, 600 ml in capacity. This equals 75 meters of yarn per stamp and eight stamps produced from each bottle.

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