©Danilo Lima, Agripalm Ambiental
The RRC database contains a wide variety of resources and publications related to ecological restoration, and we are actively working to expand this collection. It is our aim to serve as the principal clearinghouse for information and tools to support the work of researchers, practitioners, land managers, educators, students, and anyone else interested in restoration. Use the filter tool below to search the database by title, author, resource type, keyword, or any combination of these factors.
Although SER does review all entries in the database for relevance and quality, these resources have not been rigorously reviewed or extensively vetted in every case, and SER therefore makes no claim as to their accuracy or accordance with generally accepted principles in the field. The database is provided as a resource for visitors to the SER website, and it is ultimately left to the individual user to make their own determinations about the quality and veracity of a given publication or resource.
If there is a resource we missed, please let us know! We are interested in current books, articles, technical documents, videos, and other resources that are directly relevant to ecological restoration science, practice or policy, as well as resources treating the social, cultural and economic dimensions of restoration.
The Role of Redox Processes in Shaping Soil Water Quality of Reclaimed Mine Soils
Abstract:Surface mine reclamation practices affect headwater soil and water quality. Such practices, especially in steep-topography, tend to incorporate rock spoils of different weathering stages (e.g. saprolite, blast-rock fragments) with the salvaged soil for further use as topsoil-replacement material during reclamation. Such material alters composition and properties that otherwise ubiquitous to native soils, affecting soil biogeochemical processes and outcomes. In this study, we attempted to elucidate the
governing processes affecting soil water quality under such practices. Sites in southern WV, USA, reclaimed using sandstone spoils of different weathering stages, placed at different compaction levels, were instrumented with soil water sampling devices, 12 years after reclamation. Water samples were collected weekly during a 3-year study and analyzed for metals content, ionic composition, total alkalinity, and dissolved organic carbon in addition to in-situ measurement of dissolve oxygen, pH, temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), and redox potential. Episodes of high TDS (exceeding USA-EPA regulatory threshold of 300 µS cm-1) were associated with low redox potential (Eh < 300 mV) and with pH shift to circumneutral values. Wide within-season fluctuation was observed in all measured parameters. Ubiquitous to mining environment, present of sulfate (as well as that of other terminal-electron acceptors; TEA) showed, in successive incubation studies, to affect soil solution redox potential. The results are discussed in the context the limited pools and ability of reclaimed mine soils to buffer changes in moisture, pH, redox, etc., pointing to potential vulnerability amid expected increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Dam Removal and Justifying Passive Sediment Management
Abstract:Given the vulnerability of freshwater ecosystems, and the ubiquity of aging and obsolete dams, these dams need to be removed faster and cheaper. The management of impounded sediments often drives up costs. Recent research reinforces the notion that the volume of impounded sediments behind small dams, which are very common in the northeastern US, is minor relative to watershed sediment yields. This presentation will discuss published sediment guidelines in the US, compare sediment management approaches in several recent dam removal projects in the northeastern US, and describe methods to assess the volume of impounded sediment in the watershed context that help to justify “when to let it go.”
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Dam removal as a tool to increase ecological resilience through water quality improvements
Abstract:Small, obsolete dams create abrupt discontinuities in stream thermal regimes, flow regimes, and biotic assemblages, and impair systems’ ability to respond to additional anthropogenic stressors, including climate change. Improved water quality following dam removal may increase the ecological resilience of streams to climate-driven warming, yet the extent and timescale of water quality recovery following removal is not well understood. We collected extensive pre- and post-removal temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) data at 16 dam removal sites (9 have been removed to date) across Massachusetts to quantify water quality responses to removal and capture dam-specific and landscape-scale differences driving responses. Prior to removal, most sites experienced downstream warming, although the magnitude and spatial extent of dam impacts on temperature varied across sites, as well as seasons. We found lower DO within impoundments compared to upstream reaches but did not find a consistent downstream effect on DO. Within one year following dam removal, DO in impoundments generally recovered to upstream reference conditions, and downstream warming was reduced or eliminated at some, but not all sites. These data suggest that reduced DO caused by small dams may be quickly ameliorated by dam removal, but thermal recovery may vary depending on dam (e.g., dam and impoundment size), stream (e.g., upstream temperatures), and watershed characteristics (e.g., impervious/forest cover). An understanding of water quality shifts following dam removal may inform our understanding of biotic responses, particularly for thermally-sensitive taxa that are most vulnerable to climate change.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Plant Community Response to Small Dam Removal in Connecticut
Abstract:The Northeastern United States has one of the highest densities of extant dams in the nation. These structures are remnants of the region’s colonial-era mills, which relied on hydropower generated by small dams. Despite growing interest in dam removal as an ecological restoration strategy, very few studies explore how dewatered dam impoundments re-vegetate following dam removal. Land managers and ecologists often cite the potential dominance of invasive plant species in recently dewatered impoundments as a key management concern, but there is very limited literature focused on plant community recovery following the removal of small dams in New England.
We conducted vegetation and soil surveys in dewatered impoundments at seven sites in southern Connecticut. These dam removals were conducted between the years 2012 and 2019, have dewatered impoundments 0.5 to 2.8 hectares in area, and are managed as natural areas by public and private landowners. We found that higher concentrations of soil nutrients (K, Ca, P, and Mg) were strongly correlated with lower per-plot vegetative species richness. Larger impoundment area correlated with a higher per-plot proportion of invasive species. Finally, we found a weaker but significant positive correlation between soil K concentration and per-plot proportion of invasive species. Our findings indicate that small dam removal sites in Connecticut support a high proportion of native wetland plants, and that invasive species, while present, are not dominating these areas. Individual site
characteristics, including soil K concentration and impoundment size, play a role in determining the prevalence of invasive species in dewatered impoundments.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Removing Dams of the American Industrial Revolution in the Northeastern U.S. to Restore Natural Capital Against Climate Change
Abstract:Since the first thirteen British colonies were established where what is now known as the Eastern United States, rivers and streams were the engine of the economies of the US Northeast (generally considered West Virginia to Maine). Nearly every linear foot of rivers was dammed for processing of the, then, vast resources of timber, and then grain, paper, and other early industrial products. As a result, much of the riverine and riparian functions and values have been altered forever. Since the 1990s, there has been momentum for the removal of obsolete dams, with a focus on the restoration of migratory fish routes, and the removal of drowning and flood hazards of these structures. But focusing on these issues have only managed to allow for the removal of dams along coastal waters as “first blockages”, with most funding coming from governmental grants. With the growing recognition of rivers as natural capital in fighting the impacts of climate change, there are new opportunities for public‐private partnerships in restoring the functions and values of riverine systems. This presentation will discuss opportunities and innovation to restore the natural capital of river systems through dam removal, including natural resource damages compensation, mitigation for infrastructure construction, flood mitigation, nutrient reduction, and coastal sediment replenishment. Through the exploration of these specific projects, ecosystem uplift outcomes will be provided that illustrate how rivers have been set on a trajectory of recovering and self‐sustaining ecosystem services for human benefit; how countries could think “out of the box” to address failing dams and climate change within the urban environment; and provide lessons learned for developing countries as they navigate growing economies and populations.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Enhancing direct seeding with unmanned aerial vehicles, operational capacity, and seed technology in the western US and beyond
Abstract:DroneSeed is a Seattle-based startup developing software, hardware, and infrastructure for land surveying, and aerial seed deployment in forests and rangelands. Wildfire and other large-scale ecosystem disturbances are increasing in frequency and severity. Constraints to post-disturbance revegetation include accessibility to remote areas, difficulty distributing limited seed supply precisely at scale, establishing seedlings from seed because of biotic and abiotic conditions (e.g. invasive species, seed predation, and moisture availability), and associated costs (such as labor). DroneSeed is currently paid per acre to survey and distribute seed that’s been manufactured into a vessel to provide enabling technology, such as substrates and amendments to protect seed or promote germination. We’re trialing this technology for public, private, and philanthropic land management organizations in the US, with trials underway in New Zealand and Canada as well.
The presentation will provide an overview of the company’s technology and innovations to revegetation processes, introduce select projects, and highlight the research and development supporting our data-driven approach. We will focus on efforts from 2018 to 2020 to collect greenhouse and field data on the efficacy of seed enablement technology in direct seeding post-fire and post-harvest landscapes across the Western US, Canada, and New Zealand. We will present the first year growing season seedling establishment results of project sites with native conifers in the western US and Canada. We will also present pilot studies of native grasses in the US and native species of New Zealand. We will share next steps and how this seeding technology can play a role in restoration and address challenges we still face while building towards scalable solutions for ecosystem restoration.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Growing through change: what current literature tells us about sourcing seed for restoration in the age of climate change
Abstract:North American grasslands have been widely converted to human use, and many that remain are degraded and fragmented. A key goal of many restoration projects is a diverse, native plant community. In grassland restoration projects, seed addition is a common technique to meet this goal. The availability of appropriate seed, in terms of species, provenance, and quantity, is a limiting factor for many projects. Anthropogenic climate change further complicates restoration decision-making, as land managers assess which seed sources will be adapted to future conditions and contribute to the resilience of restored sites. Land managers are aware of this complex issue, but the peer-reviewed literature is extensive and often inaccessible. Our objective was to conduct a review and synthesis of the current state of the science around seed sourcing for climate resilience, with the hope that this information would bring needed guidance to restoration practitioners, and would alert seed suppliers
and researchers about gaps in native plant materials supply and research. To this end, we searched Web of Science for articles using keywords related to seed sourcing and climate change. Nine searches yielded 2442 unique articles, 120 of which were returned in three or more searches. Abstracts of these 120 articles were reviewed to determine: the life history characteristics of focal species; geographic region and study type – experimental, provenance trials, review, etc.; response variable(s); and relevance to ecological restoration. Of 78 studies that specifically addressed provenance of plant materials, 79% of these focused on woody/tree species with a strong economic value, rather than herbaceous species. Most publications focused on North American or European species or habitats. We will present a synthesis of the relevant literature, including its accessibility, and discuss how this pertains to restoration research and practice in North American grasslands.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Identification of Dutch elm disease tolerant American elm selections
Abstract:Before the arrival of Dutch elm disease (DED; caused by Ophiostoma ulmi and O. novo-ulmi), American elm (Ulmus americana) was a dominant tree species with an expansive range extending from Nova Scotia to Florida, westward to Alberta and Texas. The tree provided critical habitat to lepidopterans and represented an important source of food for avian and granivore species. American elms have been widely planted in cities and towns across North America, owing to their graceful form and tolerance of harsh conditions. The arrival and spread of DED resulted in widespread decline of elms across urban and rural landscapes. Restoration of American elm necessitates the development of genetically diverse disease tolerant populations that can be used as seed sources for reintroduction plantings. Ongoing research and breeding efforts lead by the USDA Forest Service Delaware Forestry Science Laboratory (Delaware, OH, USA) have focused on testing the DED tolerance of large survivor American elms from midwestern and New England states. To evaluate the DED tolerance of survivor elms, clones of each selection are planted with tolerant and susceptible controls in plantations and inoculated with a
mixture of O. ulmi and O. novo-ulmi spores at age 7-10. Canopy decline is evaluated over time. Recent tests have revealed several selections with DED tolerance levels that meet or exceed commercially available cultivars of American elm. Testing of these selections in urban and rural restoration plantings is underway to evaluate their survival and growth over time and their impacts on local avian and plant communities.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Native plant materials use and commercial availability in the Eastern United States
Abstract:We conducted an online survey to better understand the practices and needs of native plant materials (NPMs) users east of the Mississippi River, garnering 760 responses. Respondents use NPMs for a diverse array of restoration, infrastructure, and landscaping activities. Respondents expressed a preference for local ecotypes (74%), and almost no interest in cultivars (0.3%). Respondents identified commercial availability as the greatest barrier to their use of local ecotypes. Respondents who use native seeds and prefer local ecotypes are shopping farther afield than their concept of “local” would support. Respondents who think of local as being in-state buy seeds out-of-state 85% of the time. Respondents who buy from the most-popular native seed vendor are, on average, 584 km (363 miles) away. Respondents who buy from the second-most popular native seed vendor are, on average, 1,296 km (805 miles) away. Respondents lack sufficient lead time to have seeds or plants contract grown. Eightythree percent would be willing to pay a premium to obtain local ecotypes. Such poor commercial availability places respondents in a position where they must continually incorporate non-local NPMs into their project sites, risking project failure and/or degradation of natural areas. Potential solutions to the commercial shortage of NPMs include creating an online marketplace; increasing project lead times; improving procurement policies; charging premiums for local ecotypes; conducting needed
research; providing technical support; and developing a network of active seed banks. Respondents expect their demand for NPMs to increase, highlighting the importance of addressing these issues now.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Plant functional traits inform plant species selection for restoration to meet multiple management goals.
Abstract:For restoration, it is important to select species that can be easily established and maintain a stable population as well as meet multiple management goals and improve ecosystem services. Plant functional traits can influence ecosystem services and demography and, therefore, can inform species selection for restoration seeding. Our aims were to quantify the plant functional trait distribution of plant species in Arizona and California, USA to understand how they may impact ecosystem services and demography. We collected above and belowground trait data for at least 10 established plant species at each restoration site (both native and exotic) as well as for species seeded for restoration into the communities. We compared trait distributions between native and exotic species and seeded species. We also examined distributions of traits that have know associations with ecosystem services such as floral display and aboveground biomass for forage. Using these associations, we determined species selections that can meet specific or multiple management goals such as erosion reduction and pollinator resources. Perennial grasses offer soil stability with deep rooting systems, forage with their large biomass, and their high fecundity contributes to stable population growth. Forbs provide additional forage as well as pollinator resources with a variety of colors and sizes of flowers. Taking these are other factors into consideration, we can select species that address multiple management goals to seed for restoration.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Wiregrass Phenology: Is local seed important?
Abstract:One of the central tenets of restoration ecology is that local seed is best. However, for many ecosystems that have been severely impacted and exist in remnants it might be necessary to move quite far out before you find a viable seed source. This is true of longleaf pine forests which have been reduced to less than 5% of their historical 90-million-acre range. Fire is key to restoring these forests and without it, fire intolerant species invade. Wiregrass is the dominate grass species in this habitat and plays a key role in the reproduction and spread of longleaf pine as it helps to carry fire. Understanding the range of variation in wiregrass seed sources including responses to variations in fire is key to finding a seed source that will be successful in a specific restoration site. Wiregrass (Aristida stricta) from 5 northern populations and from 7 southern (Aristida beyrichiana) populations was grown in a common garden outside of Columbia, SC. Randomly selected plants were burned at different times
between April and August 2018. Consistent with previous studies for both species we found that growing season burning resulted in higher biomass allocation to reproductive structures than not burning. We found that the inflorescence from plants grown from northern or stricta seed grew taller earlier in the season and peak flowering occurred about a month before flowering in plants grown from southern or beyrichiana seed. This provides further support for the idea that the two species of wiregrass are distinct and should not be used interchangeable in restorations.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
A Restoration Success Story: Restoration of a Former Industrial Site Along the Onondaga Lake Shoreline
Abstract:Located at the western nexus of the City of Syracuse along the shoreline of Onondaga Lake, the Solvay Settling Basins 1-8 Site is a 400-acre former industrial property, and a subsite of the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site, home to one of the largest and most complex sustainable remediation programs in the country. Over the last 5 years, over $100M of investment has been dedicated to the design and implementation of numerous integrated remedial measures, recreational redevelopment projects, and ecological restoration efforts that have combined to reset the ecological trajectory of the Site and restore essential ecological functions through the establishment of robust and varied habitats. To date, nearly 200 acres of the Site have been restored with wet meadow, shallow and deep emergent marsh, successional old-field, and successional forest community types, creating room for biodiversity to thrive. Since the monitoring program began in 2015, over 70 species of wildlife have returned to the
Site including small mammals and multiple herptile species which serve as bioindicators of restoration success. The Site also supports large herbivorous mammals such as the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and their predatory counterpart, the eastern coyote (Canis latrans), illustrating the presence of a robust and diverse forage base, and high-quality habitat. Naturebased recreation has also rebounded as the surrounding human population seeks opportunities for active and passive
recreational experiences tied to the local, restored ecology. Here, we present a remarkable turnaround from a heavily impacted industrial site to an ecological restoration success story
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Doing it right: The Canadian Peat Moss Industry’s Social Responsibility Journey
Abstract:Over the past years, the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA), the Québec Peat Moss Producers Association (APTHQ) and their members have undertaken a social responsibility approach for the horticultural peat sector in Canada. One of the central pillars of this initiative is the long-lasting support to scientific research to develop Industry Best Management Practices. For over almost 30 years now, tremendous advances in responsible peatland management have been done. From the development of the Moss Layer Transfer Technique to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions assessment in the various stages do the peat life cycle, this presentation will discuss the Canadian Peat Moss Industry’s Social Responsibility Journey. The most recent statistics on industry use of peatlands will also be presented, including a follow-up on the implementation of the National Peatland Restoration Initiative aimed at reducing the industry’s historical footprint.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Ecohydrological linkages to carbon dynamics during the early development of a reclaimed landscape in Alberta, Canada
Abstract:As wetlands comprise approximately half of the pre-disturbance landscape in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region, they have become the focus of reclamation efforts in the region. This study provides a temporal snapshot of the carbon dynamics for a 32 ha constructed fen-upland watershed. We quantified rates of gross ecosystem photosynthesis, ecosystem respiration and net ecosystem CO2 exchange for the first seven years of ecosystem development (2013-2019) using growing season measurements acquired by eddy covariance systems. Results indicate early-development carbon trends are particularly associated with the establishment of vegetation. Since planting in 2013, fen vegetation has become robust and is sedge-dominated by Carex aquatilis, Juncus balticus and Typha latifolia. The fen quickly evolved from a growing season carbon source in 2013 to a sink by 2015 (NEE of 124 g C m-2 to -229 g C m-2 ) as plant development significantly increased net CO2 uptake. Since 2015, the fen has continually remained a net CO2 sink. In the upland, tree cover (Pinus banksiana, Populus balsamifera, Populus tremuloides) has developed at a slower rate than plant cover in the fen, resulting in net carbon loss during this period (with growing season NEE fluctuating between 4.46-1.12 gC m-2 ). However, it is hypothesized that the upland is on trajectory towards become a net carbon sink as vegetation continues to mature and canopy development ensues. Assessment of the carbon-ecohydrological exchanges during development suggests the constructed system is evolving towards becoming a self-sustaining, carbon-accumulating, functional ecosystem with carbon dynamics comparable to that natural systems in the region.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
ReTHINK the Refinery: 2100
Abstract:The former Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) Refinery is a 1,300-acre property situated along the Schuylkill River in southwest Philadelphia. The property is currently inundated during the 1% Annual Chance Flood. Sea level rise scenarios vary, but by 2100 nearly all models including NOAA, FEMA and local agencies agree, sea level rise will increase the current extent of the Base Flood Elevation. This project provides a design framework for how ecological restoration fosters resilient land development in a flooded future. It envisions a symbiotic landscape where the river can flood, native plant communities buffer flood impacts, and people tend to the urban landscape so it can reach maximum resiliency and respond to the river community it protects. Site inventory and analysis combined with historic cultural and ecological research inform the site’s conceptual design. The single largest limiting factor identified is sea level rise; half of the site will be underwater in the future. Plant communities are more suitable than static architecture in projected flood zones. As water levels vary now and into the future, a restored ecosystem will move with the water, regenerating and offering the much-needed ecosystem services such as flood attenuation, providing cleaner water and air, carbon sequestration, stormwater filtration, habitat value, and more. ReTHINK the Refinery: 2100 envisions a landscape where land development is designed in balance with human and ecological communities. Forward-thinking planning and design at this site create a resilient landscape that acknowledges and responds to a changing future that benefits the community, economy, and ecology.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Community Based Monitoring to Assess Habitat Restoration Outcomes in Terrestrial Ecosystems
Abstract:Practitioners undertaking conservation activities, such as community groups, staff from government and non-government agencies and private landholders play a vital role in undertaking land management actions such as habitat restoration, including revegetating agricultural landscapes. Practitioners can also play an important role in learning how revegetated areas change over time by carrying out monitoring. Monitoring allows us to learn what actions are most effective in restoring vegetation to individual properties and whole landscapes, how well plant species survive and grow, and the quality of habitat it provides for faunal species. In the state of Victoria, Australia, practitioners worked alongside researchers to assess how effective revegetation outcomes are after the first year of planting. The monitoring aims were to assess the outcomes of revegetation, in terms of the survival of planted trees, shrubs and understory plants, and determine the factors that affect variation in survival
among different species, and different regions. The program also assessed how useful community members found the monitoring methods, any factors that limited their ability to undertake the monitoring, and ways in which the monitoring could be improved. This presentation will outline the revegetation monitoring methods undertaken by community groups, the revegetation outcomes from this monitoring, and the perceptions of participants to the monitoring methods and their outcomes.
The results highlight the importance of researchers and community groups collaborating to better understand the benefits of conservation activities through monitoring, and provides a monitoring method that could be adapted to assess restoration activities globally.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Making technology meaningful: co-developing a practice for meaningful local tropical peatland monitoring in Mantangai, Indonesia
Abstract:In recent decades, there has been an increasing call to integrate the perspectives, practices, and worldviews of communities and local residents in ecological restoration that impacts them. Building on a growing body of scholarship that examines social dimensions of ecological restoration, this study is guided by the question: how can technologies be used to create locally meaningful knowledge sharing and the co-development of practice for community monitoring of restoration? The case study presented is the restoration of tropical peatlands and the use of chameleon flux sensors with local villagers in Mantangai, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Guided by a collaborative and interdisciplinary process that focuses on social-ecological systems thinking called Adaptive Doing, and an action research approach, the study maps the co-development of a collaborative process in which team members from a local non-governmental organisation (Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation – BOSF)
engage with villagers in the use of chameleon flux sensors, examine their perspectives, practices and understanding peatland monitoring and restoration, and learn about how to make these sensors interesting and meaningful to villages. Utilising Adaptive Doing, the multiple perspectives of and practices in peatlands and their restoration are identified, the local socialecological system is mapped, and a shared understanding is formed that guides the development of meaningful community monitoring practice and local learning. The study provides preliminary reflections on the co-design process and insights for community learning and engagement.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Measured responses to boreal forest habitat restoration treatments confirm a trajectory towards success
Abstract:Decades of oil and gas exploration has left a legacy of disturbances on the boreal forest including seismic lines, roads, trails and well sites. Exploration disturbance occurred on a widely distributed basis and now contributes to altered predator-prey dynamics and increased predation on woodland caribou, which are threatened in Canada. Exploration disturbances have also been associated with increased methane emissions in certain conditions. Under passive recovery, a large proportion of exploration features stagnated; failing to return to forest cover due to flattened surfaces/loss of microtopography, herbaceous competition and other factors. Arrested recovery is most prominent on wet site types and organic soils.
Active treatment using mechanical site preparation to create artificial mounds, tree planting and recruitment of coarse woody material is believed to make return to forest cover more rapid and predictable. Over 10 years Cenovus conducted applied investigation into forest habitat restoration with the hypothesis that we could restore key ecological functions on stagnated sites. We tested plant and animal response to restoration treatment and we measured carbon emissions under contrasting treatments. Overall, we found that responses to active restoration were consistent with our hypotheses, specifically:
o Conifer growth rate and survival increased
o Utilization of treated areas was reduced for moose, caribou and wolves
o Travel speed along treated features was reduced
o Carbon storage improved relative to control sites under passive recovery.
Further to these indicators, we are confident that this treatment approach will contribute to caribou habitat recovery and as well as a broad range of ecological services supplied by boreal forest.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Park-As-Lab: A community-based platform for ecological data distribution
Abstract:Background/Objectives/Methods
Despite the nickname “Concrete Jungle”, New Yorkers often experience a disconnect between society and nature with the environment as the last thought on their minds. In an effort to return the environment to the people (and vice versa), multiple organizations are working to collect ecological data, often by engaging local community members. However, much of this data is not shared, thus hindering future ecological studies and community participation. In order to remedy the lack of data-sharing, Randall’s Island Park Alliance (RIPA) in New York City (NYC) developed the Park-As-Lab (PAL) program: a research collaborative where scientists, environmental advocates, and communities work together on scientific research. PAL works to encourage civic engagement, support STEM career paths, and increase our understanding of NYC’s ecosystems, ultimately promoting more resilient communities.
Results/Conclusions
Since its creation in 2018, Park-as-Lab has reached nearly 4,000 participants through 25 research projects, seven monitoring projects, and 25 partners. Many of the research projects focus on community-identified local issues but PAL also helps regional scientists. All of the data collected by PAL and completed final projects are added to the PAL data repository and interactive map which are hosted on RIPA’s public website. This data sharing will allow for improved collaborative efforts between the environmental organizations of NYC as PAL fosters partnerships through continued engagement and communications. This presentation will cover PAL research topics, outreach and education initiatives, and collaborative data-sharing efforts by NYC organizations.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Participatory ecological restoration as a didactic strategy: Guarumo’s experience in Sarapiquí, Heredia, Costa Rica
Abstract:The concept of ecological restoration is not always close to the public in tropical zones of ecological fragility such as Sarapiquí, Heredia, Costa Rica. In this locality, the rapid change in land use and the low human development indices contrast with some ecological restoration and sustainable development initiatives. For this reason, a project named Guarumo was developed with the objective of promoting natural and social connectivity between high school students and the local biological corridor through ecological restoration, the democratization of science, and the union of local actors. Sessions were developed over eight months with students from San José del Rio High School. The activities were based on constructivist pedagogies, learning from experience, popular education, and participatory methodologies. After the sessions, students showed greater interest in science and university education. The topics covered also reinforced the learning of t heir biology, chemistry, and physics
courses. In addition, the proposal allowed us to put into practice the concepts discussed by means of field trips, laboratories, and their participation in a real project of ecological restoration of the community. This methodology demonstrated the great potential of ecological restoration as a thematic line for the development of environmental and scientific education programs in a rural school, especially considering the lack of practical experiences in these subjects in the public education system of Costa Rica.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Participatory governance as a basis for forest fire management in restored forests in the Chorotega region of Costa Rica
Abstract:During 1950 -1970 Costa Rica suffered intense deforestation due to agricultural activity. The Chorotega region, located in the northwest of the country, practically became a “great pasture”. As of the 1980s, a tree recovery began, both due to the decrease in meat prices and emigration, as well as reforestation and restoration initiatives. Since then, some sectors have gone from less than 25% to more than 54% of forest cover, in dry and humid areas. However, the greatest current challenge for restoration is fires, caused by higher temperatures and dry periods, typical of climate change, as well as some agricultural and cultural practices that use fire. In this study, the participation of social actors and local governance structures that support the National System of Conservation Areas in the control of forest fires was analyzed. It was found that the National Forest Fire Commission has strengthened inter-institutional coordination processes, with achievements especially in the area of education and awareness; while at the local level the forest fire brigades represent the most important social articulation space. These brigades are made up of volunteers in synergy with SINAC and some of them have been active since 2005. In 2018 alone, approximately 350 volunteers supported fire management in the region, of which about 20% were women. The consolidation of governance through which coordination and cooperation agreements between civilian (grassroots organizations and companies) and institutional actors is achieved is essential, given the scarcity of resources and the magnitude of the problem.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
A Video Essay – On how to engage private and public landowners to complete restoration work where it is needed most.
Abstract:Much, of our land is under the ownership of people who aren’t doing restoration work, and it’s challenging to keep our ecosystems healthy beyond the borders of the properties we control. Gaining access to private property and permissions to work on public lands is imperative for the implementation of ecosystem monitoring and restoration. Further, long-term management, maintenance and monitoring of projects is a must. Ecosystem functions and animal lifecycles often require inputs from multiple properties, and actions that stretch across ownership, municipalities, provinces and countries. Through a series of short videos this presentation will showcase the success of a landowner engagement approach in Southern Ontario, Canada. Videos will highlight the positive results of *Conservation Halton’s private and public landowner outreach program, called the “Watershed Stewardship Award”. Videos are narrated by landowners and stakeholders. This award has assisted Conservation Halton in building private and public landowner relationships, resulting in a robust ecosystem restoration and protection program in our watershed. Restoration actions highlighted in the videos include: a large-scale $750k, 550m coldwater creek restoration project in a public park, forest and creek protection on private land, implementation of land management recommendations on private property, a LID project on school property and creek narrowing using bio-engineering. Presenter commentary between videos will describe the Watershed Stewardship Award program, approaches to relationship building, and soft skills tips crucial to implementing these successful projects.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Bringing the Forest to the Office – How Virtual Tours are Informing Training and Decision Making Related to Restoration Approaches in the Oil Sands
Abstract:Virtual reality isn’t just for video games anymore. This project sought to evaluate the utility of 360-degree imagery to develop educational and training modules about habitat restoration techniques being used in the oil sands region of Alberta, Canada. This project leveraged professional-quality 360° photos of restoration sites, either recently established or up to 10 years old. By bringing the forest to the office, the project’s goal was to showcase how modern techniques in forest restoration can help
achieve environmental goals related to woodland caribou habitat restoration and oil sands compensation lakes. Students, operators and managers can all explore one of five virtual tours: lowland sites with surface roughness applied, linear restoration sites, planting on upland and lowland sites, interim reclamation of soil storage piles, and oil sands compensation lakes. In addition to these virtual tours, the project houses the recently completed Silviculture Toolkit developed through a collaboration between Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) and Natural Resources Canada.
Results of the project indicate that these virtual tools have wide applicability in university education and in training professionals to adopt new and innovative restoration practices. This presentation will showcase why the virtual tours were established, data supporting the use and uptake of the tours, and will discuss how virtual tours like this can be used by universities, governments and industry organizations around the world to drive innovation and quality treatment delivery in reclamation and restoration programs.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Ecological restoration, work, and a just transition
Abstract:Amid debates regarding whether and how to advance large-scale ecological restoration, little consideration has been given to the social organization of the actual work of restoring ecological communities. This paper contributes a perspective on the work of ecological restoration by drawing from experiences in North America to advance a just transition, centering on the critical role of workers and the importance of high-quality employment within communities and societies in economic transition. The objective is to provide a basis for and describe an approach to institutionalizing networks of service for ecological restoration. This is achieved first by recognizing the opportunity for meaningful, geographically specific employment that allows for sustained engagement with practices of restoration of ecosystems, ultimately restorative of social-ecological relations. The paper then draws from historical and contemporary cases and institutional designs to inform the organization of networks of public restoration services. Cases highlight positive outcomes as well as shortcomings of large-scale, public-sector conservation and restoration projects of the past, while assessing the scope of current conservation and restoration efforts and needs across the continent. The outcomes of this research have broad applicability for social practices of restoration in North America and beyond, aiming to inform governance and public policy, job creation and livelihoods, and public awareness and engagement regarding these practices and their organization. By learning from history while grounding efforts in the needs of the present, emerging networks of ecological restoration services can increase support for expanded projects while creating conditions for enduring economies and cultures of restoration.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Moving from Multitasking to Mission: Growing Old Gracefully in the Workplace
Abstract:Growing old gracefully in the workplace is becoming more difficult given the growth of the “gig” economy and changing cultural standards and principles. People with many years of experience often command higher salaries and more benefits, which conflicts with company directives to lower direct costs and increase productivity. And right about the time that our minds and bodies are slowing down, the speed of change in the world keeps getting faster, demands for overtime and weekend work are growing, and new technologies that require more training keep popping up. Retiring from the firm that one worked for over a career seems to be more and more of a myth these days. After watching older employees with higher salaries and higher resultant project rates get let go from mega-consulting firms, and watching employees of smaller firms work longer hours to try and compete, I set out to find a way to contend with my gently decelerating body and mind while still being able to utilize my many years of experience. I’ll share my journey to find a position where I could sharpen my focus on singular tasks rather than continuing to try to multi-task, where I could adopt a slower pace that allows me to be more engaged with others and with issues, and where I can celebrate my passion for restoring the earth. I no longer fear being pushed out due to my age and will share some insights I learned along the way.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
The Southeastern Plant Conservation Alliance – Building Capacity through Novel Partnerships and Leveraging Shared Resources
Abstract:The Southeastern Plant Conservation Alliance (SE PCA) is a partnership of professionals bridging gaps between local and national plant conservation efforts to prevent and restore the loss of plant diversity in the southeastern United States. Participants include government agencies, land managers, botanical gardens, university programs, and other professionals. The alliance is tailored to multiple interests to provide training opportunities, fill information gaps, identify conservation needs, prioritize efforts, and work collaboratively to conserve imperiled plants. The SE PCA is coordinated by Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Southeastern Center for Conservation with participation from state, regional, national, and international partners. The alliance builds capacity and promotes novel partnerships by adapting successful models and creative solutions while leveraging shared resources. Our goals are to promote best practices, increase public awareness of plants, and efficiently focus funding. This is currently achieved through bi-monthly meetings, leadership committee planning and task teams, and through a website (se-pca.org). The SE PCA is currently engaged in advocacy to integrate plant conservation with broader efforts to conserve wildlife diversity and increase funding for plant conservation. An ex situ gap analysis is being conducted to determine which southeastern species are represented in conservation collections and which need to be incorporated to support in situ restoration efforts. Preliminary strategic planning has outlined additional action items, including developing a published list of species of greatest conservation need and a formal regional strategy. Working with a wide range of stakeholders that represent diverse interests and perspectives, the SE PCA will continue to stimulate collective success.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Agroforestry options to leverage restoration value chains: a case study in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Abstract:To achieve large-scale global restoration commitments, it is necessary to restore areas at an unprecedented pace. To prepare local stakeholders for implementing restoration projects in target areas, it is important to conduct an assessment of the restoration value chain and estimate the expected impacts of such additional demand. We developed a comprehensive study of the restoration value chain in the region of the Central Fluminense Mosaic, located around metropolitan Rio de Janeiro, in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest hotspot. Our study combined multiple methods (e.g. literature review, interviews, workshop with local stakeholders and experts, spatial and economic analyses) divided in three phases: (i) diagnosis of the region and restoration activities; (ii) development of restoration models; and (iii) economic evaluation of the large-scale implementation of proposed models in the value chain. We estimated that, to comply with Brazilian environmental laws, the rural properties of the region need to restore 60 thousand hectares of forest. Thus, we proposed nine restoration models considering multiple socioecological aspects of the areas that should be restored, including different restoration methods and agroforestry options. Our financial analysis showed that agroforestry-based restoration models and the consideration of natural regeneration potentials can increase cost-effectiveness and leverage large-scale restoration. Implementing all the proposed models to achieve legal compliance could represent an inflow of U$ 1.5 billion in the local economy. Specifically, agroforestry-based restoration could offer more than 4.2 million tons of food and 2.4 million m³ of wood, adding U$ 904 million in products, contributing to increase food security.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
Integrated Mining-Agroforestry restoration projects as a means to obtain and maintain social licence in the context of climate change
Abstract:Many mining projects in the world are located in areas with already degraded landscapes and soils, especially in tropical and developing countries. Such soils and landscapes can be restored by means of smartly using innovative and highly productive biotechnologies. The competencies required for this restoration process straddle mining and forestry/agroforestry sectors. They consist in integrating an agroforestry/forestry component to extractive project planning and operations including in the mining, the progressive remediation of mined areas, the social and community development and the environmental management plans. In this context, such an approach aims at providing innovative ecological restoration and eco-engineering technologies, infrastructures and on-site expertise not only to mitigate, in a progressive manner the environmental impacts of mining operations, but also create alternative and economically viable livelihoods to communities (restoring agricultural and forestry productivity allowing the production of commercially valuable goods and services such as timber, agri-food products and biodiversity and carbon offset credits); thereby, promoting the obtention and maintenance of social license and increased natural resilience and contributing to Climate Change mitigation and adaptation. An integrated mining/agroforestry project leads to the implementation of a common and mutually beneficial watershed-based developmental project with positive and lasting impacts resulting from interactions between all the impacted stakeholders. Coupling mining and agroforestry constitutes an innovative, economical and effective approach towards dealing with environmental and socio-economic and cultural challenges encountered by natural resources projects. In this presentation, benefits of this new innovative approach to mining sector and its sustainable and durable development will be discussed.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
The role of agroforestry in restoring Brazil’s Atlantic Forest: opportunities and challenges for smallholder farmers
Abstract:Restoring the degraded Atlantic Forest biome is one of the biggest conservation challenges in Brazil. Across the tropics, agroforestry is emerging as a forest restoration approach which can provide benefits to smallholder farmers and biodiversity, but its potential to support rural livelihoods remains largely unexplored in Brazil. Smallholder farms are essential to national food security, producing the majority of fruit and vegetables consumed in Brazil, and can provide important stepping stones for biodiversity. To better understand their role in Atlantic Forest restoration, this study explores the use of agroforestry by smallholder farmers from the Movimento Sem Terra (MST), the Rural Landless Workers Movement, in the Pontal do Paranapanema region. We combine quantitative and qualitative methods to understand the mechanisms which aid agroforestry implementation, the barriers, and the impact of agroforestry on indicators of well-being, food security and ecosystem services. We compare indicators between MST farmers using agroforestry and conventional farming, and find eight out of 18 tested
variables are significantly higher on agroforestry farms. We show attitudes to agroforestry are varied, but common themes emerge including mitigating climate change impacts on agriculture and the difficulties in selling agroforestry produce. Our results show that MST farmers face multiple barriers to implementing agroforestry practices, such as lack of policy support, lack of community organizations, and initial investment costs, missing out on potential benefits. Smallholder farmers should be fully integrated into the Atlantic Forest restoration agenda to help reach biome restoration targets while supporting rural livelihoods and national food security.
Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program
A Significant Initiation of West Java Government in Creating 20-Year Master Plan for Ecosystem Restoration, Case Study: West Java Creative Forest
Abstract:The land degradation has occurred in Blok Cikanyere, North Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia since 1994. It has triggered landslides in the rainy season and water scarcity in the dry season that have been faced by the surrounding communities. The provincial government took over the land in 2019. West Java Creative Forest is the West Java Government Ecosystem Restoration Program that was begun in 2020 under the Forestry Service to carry out reforestation and land rehabilitation, covering 144.67 ha area. The research-based design was generated through SWOT, bio-physic, and spatial analysis. The studies are needed in creating a West Java Creative Forest master plan for the span of 20 years proposing the concept of ecocentrism. It was designated as the restoration planning concept that can be translated into three principles based on the analysis and local conditions: restorative landscape, local wisdom, and multifunctional forest principle. These were incorporated into three main zones of restoration areas: Protection Zone, Ecotourism Zone, and Limited Use Zone. The zonation will be utilized for restoration ecosystem education, research, and ecotourism activity in the future. Cross-sector partnerships are required to implement this master plan into successful ecosystem restoration action in providing ecological, economic, and social benefits. Thus, the West Java Creative Forest project will be a tremendous achievement to be executed by the West Java Forestry Service in providing the first long-term specific action plan for the ecosystem restoration project.
Resource Type:Conference Presentation, SER2021Publication Date: 2021
Pre-approved for CECs under SER's CERP program