Unpacking the Process of Ecological Restoration
Ecological restoration does not happen overnight. Like any good land management, it is a multi-step, multi-year process that involves multiple moving parts, seasonal requirements, and cooperation from Mother Nature and the weather. Even for seasoned ecologists and land managers, this can be a daunting process. Changing climate patterns, unexpected weather, budget constraints, natural disasters, and unexpected ecosystem response are all variables that are hard to predict, but can greatly influence an attempted restoration. Despite these challenges, there is a (more or less) set process for undertaking any ecological restoration project. While not always utilized, this process offers a general overview or guide for anyone looking to better understand ecological restoration. This is the process NRP most commonly uses when consulting on restoration projects, and provides a good starting point for us to explore restoration further.
Step One: Project Goals and Stakeholders
Arguably the most important step in any ecological restoration is to identify and understand the project goals. Knowing your goals from the beginning helps direct the restoration activities, and provides a basis for whether the project succeeded or not. Plus, it helps when describing your project to potential partners, supporters, or simply curious neighbors. Project goals can be as simple as creating a 10’x10’ pollinator garden, or as complicated as restoring oak savannah habitat and ensuring continual resilience of the system through the future. Goals look different for every project, but regardless of whether the project is a single acre backyard or a multi-acre state park, all projects need goals. As a restoration contractor, NRP uses project goals as a guide for consulting, creating management plans, and directing crew activities in the field. Additionally, knowing what stakeholders are involved is also important. A project involving a single private landowner looks different from a project involving a landowner and a cost-share government partner, or a project with multiple government agencies and a non-profit involved.
Step Two: Site Assessment and Background
After establishing project goals, it is necessary to understand the starting point of the project. The history of the land, and the site conditions before restoration can greatly determine what kind of restoration is necessary. A project to improve bird habitat will have different requirements if you are working in a wetland versus and prairie. Similarly, a forest stand that has never been developed or altered will have different management requirements than a forest that was logged for many years. Understanding the current site conditions and the site history is imperative.
Often this can be a tricky part for people, especially if you have no previous experience in restoration, as it can be difficult to know what to look for. If you want to do a quick assessment of your land think about these things:
Light—light availability is important for plant growth and success. Is the area super shady or sunny? When is the light the strongest?
Water—everything needs water, and the quantity of water available often determines what plants will grow well on a site. Is there standing water always? Is the site flooded during any part of the year? Is the soil continually saturated, or is it dry? Are there drainage issues or a history of drainage management?
Soil—like water and light, soil is another important factor for determining growth conditions. Is the soil super sandy and easily permeable, or is it thick and clayey? Is the soil heavily compacted? Are there areas of heavy erosion?
Vegetation Community—landscapes are divided into different vegetation communities. Understanding the native plant community in the area is important for planning restorations involving planting, seeding, or vegetation removal.
Vegetation Diversity—a diverse mix of vegetation is often a mark of a health ecosystem. Are there many different kinds of plants? Are the plants native? How many invasive species are present?
Known History—what has happened on the site in the past is important to consider. Was the land farmed for many years? Has it ever been developed? What kind of habitat existed before it was altered by humans? Who else might have a stake in this land?
Topography and Site Access—logistics are an important part of restoration work. If the site is hard to reach or on a steep slope, equipment and personal may be limited. If there is standing water part of the year, work will need to be completed in the dry season or winter. Be aware that costs might be higher to accommodate difficult to access sites.
Position in the Landscape—is the site connected to a state park? Is it part of a watershed with heavily impaired water resources? Is it in the middle of a city? Understanding where a site is located is important for understanding how your project might impact overall ecosystem health and function. Additionally, certain projects may require permissions or permitting depending on the site location.
Assessments can be as simple as walking around the area making note of things, or hiring specific land surveyors. There are many other components of a site that can be considered during a site assessment, but these are a few of the top ones we look at when conducting our site visits.
Step Three: Management Plan
We’re still not on the ground with gear to start restoration yet! After our initial goal planning and site assessment, we need a management plan. Often the plans NRP works with are crafted by land managers of our government or non-profit partners, but we do work with private landowners to create individualized project plans. We take what we learned in Steps 1 and 2, and combine it with our experience and knowledge to create a list of restoration activities, and a timeline for those activities, that we believe will best accomplish the project goals. This is sometimes the most complicated part of a restoration, as it involves considering many different variables, and estimating to some extent the response of the site to restoration attempts. Good management plans are adaptable to unforeseen circumstances without compromising end goals. Once the management plan is set and approved by all participating parties, it will become the ultimate guide for all remaining project work.
Step Four: Initial Implementation
Step Four is when we finally get crews in the field to start the physical restoration activities. This could include cutting down and treating buckthorn, or installing burn breaks in preparation for a prescribed burn, or removing sod in preparation of a pollinator planting. At this point we transition from a step-by-step plan to an adaptable process that adjusts as weather and landscape conditions change. The potential for changing conditions is high when you are working with natural systems in the outdoors, which is why our first three steps of preparation are so important. If we have done our planning steps well, then we have a solid foundation and guideline for adjusting as necessary.
Step Five: Follow-Up and Further Assessment
This final step is often the most overlooked step in ecological restoration. Landscapes do not change overnight. Biodiversity is not re-established in a year. Habitats are not highly productive after one season of management.
Nature moves along a much slower timeline. Ecosystems can take years to adjust and adapt, and follow-up management can be the difference between a successful restoration, and a habitat that becomes degraded again a few years after the initial work completes. For example, a forest full of buckthorn can often take 10 years or more of active buckthorn removal before buckthorn is no longer a serious problem. Now don’t be discouraged! While the first couple years following a restoration may require some extensive follow-up work, the years following should require less and less work each year. Our goal is to get a site to the point that the owner, whether private or public, is able to maintain it on their own with little difficulty. Like everything in environmental work, follow-up maintenance needs can vary greatly between projects and sites.
Lastly, assessing the success of the restoration is a good final step. Considering what worked and what didn’t during the restoration can help inform future restorations. We can learn from our mistakes and successes. Since ecosystems are altered or degraded faster than they are restored, we often feel pressured to get as much land restoration done as possible. It’s important though, not to forget to reflect on what we’ve accomplished, and what challenges and triumphs came along the way.