Data comprise a forest inventory (tree name (local, scientific, genera, family), diameter, height), dendrometric tree characteristics (tree species, weight (branches, leaves, trunk), diameter, height, coordinates, distance, location) and aboveground biomass data (litter and root mat depth, biomass and carbon stock of living vegetation (sapling, tree and understorey), non-living vegetation (litter), lying dead wood and standing dead wood) sampled in the Ankeniheny Zahamena Forest Corridor (remains of the evergreen forest of eastern Madagascar). Living vegetation includes woody and herbaceous above soil vegetation including stems, branches, bark, seeds, and foliage (IPCC, 2006). Litter includes all non-living biomass with a size greater than the limit for soil organic matter (suggested 2 mm) and less than the minimum diameter chosen for lying dead wood (e.g. 10 cm) in various states of decomposition above or within the mineral or organic soil (IPCC, 2006). Dead wood includes all non-living woody biomass not contained in the litter, either standing, lying on the ground, or in the soil (IPCC, 2006). Understorey includes herbaceous vegetation in forests and fallows. Data were collected as part of a project funded under the Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) programme. Work package 4 P4GES project, grant references: NE/K008692/1, NE/K010115/1, and NE/K010220-1 Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/cbeea40f-8e35-4875-8b49-815e04f0cbd9

This dataset consists of structure, biomass (carbon density) and biodiversity (plant species richness) from forest inventory plots at forest restoration sites in South and Southeast Asia and the code for the analyses of these data as conducted in Banin, Raine et al (2023). The recorded data consists of plot level censuses carried out up to May 2021 collated from published studies, grey literature and data provided by co-authors. This represents the collation of data from 11 sites in areas where disturbance had led to the clearance or degradation of natural forest. Plots where tree seedlings were planted (active restoration) and plots where no seedling planting took place (natural regeneration) were censused for structure, biomass and/or biodiversity. Some of the sites in the dataset also recorded data at old growth forest plots for reference, and/or provided repeat measures of forest metrics over time. The dataset also includes the code used for analysis of this plot level data, used to compare the outcome of different restoration approaches. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/3d3b1d09-9e7a-4144-b8a1-b09a3c573466