©Stephen Glass
The RRC provides a searchable database of restoration projects from around the world intended to serve as a resource for practitioners, researchers, educators, students, and the general public. Projects have been freely contributed by users of the SER website, or have been compiled from publicly available information by SER staff or other designees of SER. Expand the filter tool below to search for projects by country, region, biome, ecosystem, cause of degradation, or any combination of these factors.
Although SER does review all submissions for relevance, quality, and completeness before approving them for inclusion in the database, they are not subjected to peer review nor has project information been independently verified in the field. SER therefore makes no claim as to the accuracy of the information presented here or the degree to which the methods, techniques, and strategies used for a particular project adhere to generally accepted standards for ecological restoration practice. Anyone interested in learning more about a particular project is encouraged to contact the project lead or the responsible organization directly for further information.
If you have field experiences you’d like to share, we encourage you to submit your own project to the database!
The Project Database is generously supported by Stantec
Argentina: Semiarid Rangeland Restoration
Country: Argentina
Abstract: Restoration of palatable grasses on degraded rangelands dominated by unpalatable grasses in central Argentina is limited by low availability of seeds and safe sites for seedling establishment. The objective of the project was to determine how mechanical disturbance of unpalatable grasses (Stipa spp.) in combination with seeding of a palatable grass (Poa ligularis) influenced species composition in a degraded rangeland excluded from livestock grazing. In April 2001, 10 blocks were uniformly...USA: Arizona: Fort Valley Restoration Project
Country: United States of America
Abstract: The Fort Valley Project was an experiment designed to test forest treatments that were intended to restore natural ecological qualities and reduce the hazard of intense wildfire in the urban/wildland interface around Flagstaff, Arizona. The primary goal of the project was the reverse the degradation of ponderosa pine ecosystems by restoring their structure and function along with the natural disturbance regimes that were characteristic of their evolutionary environment. The project is a...Spain/Portugal: ECOQUARRY – Ecotechnology for Environmental Restoration of Limestone Quarries
Country: Portugal, Spain
Abstract: ECOQUARRY (LIFE04 ENV/ES000195) was a demonstration project carried out in 11 limestone quarries located in NE-E Spain (Catalonia and Valencia) and South Portugal. Scientific/technical orientation was provided by several academic institutions in both countries. The main objectives were i) to use the best available technologies in quarry restoration in a field scale trial, under Mediterranean climate conditions, ii) to improve restoration interventions, developing standardized quality control...Costa Rica: Los Arboles Wet Tropical Forest Restoration
Country: Costa Rica
Abstract: This project originated in 1992 when the Tropical Forestry Initiative purchased land in southwestern Costa Rica, in which four families from the eastern United States purchased abandoned pasture land 10 km from Dominical, Costa Rica to study the potential for restoring mixed stands of wet tropical species to the area. Building on studies that showed promise of fast-growing plantation species for jumpstarting succession in tropical forest restoration, the project sought to measure the success of...India: Chilika Lake Restoration, Orissa
Country: India
Abstract: The Chilika Lake, located on the east coast of the state of Orissa, India is the largest lagoon and salt water lake in Asia. It is separated from the Bay of Bengal by a sand bar that varies from 100m to 1.5 km. A long outer channel stretching 32 km connects the main lagoon with the Bay of Bengal. The lagoon spread over an area larger than a 1000 sq. km in the early 20th century, however, during the course of the 20th century the lake shrank to only 760 sq km due to direct reclamation of...India: Seva Mandir, Natural Resource Restoration in Rajasthan
Country: India
Abstract: Founded in the 1960s, Seva Mandir (SM) is works in 626 villages of Rajasthan State to help the poor change their circumstances of deprivation. The population is largely tribal with a large dependence on natural resources, especially the local forests and water bodies. Critical problems facing these communities include degraded forests and pastures, recurrent droughts, and soil erosion that leads to widespread livelihood insecurity. Seva Mandir works with individuals, families, and communities...Bolivia: Restoration of Mining Zone of Tipuani
Country: Bolivia
Abstract: Trópico, the Bolivian Conservation Association (Asociación Boliviana para la Conservación) established this project to promote sustainable forestry management in the Tipuani and Guanay municipalities in northeastern Bolivia. Mining is the greatest threat to forests in Tipuani because of the amount of lumber needed to structurally support the mine-shafts that are carved into hillsides or mountains for subterranean mining. In Guanay, commercial timber harvesting and agriculture, especially...Colombia: Dry Montane Dwarf Tropical Forest Restoration
Country: Colombia
Abstract: This project evaluated a restoration experiment of late-successional dwarf forest in the Checua valley near Bogota, and was based on the idea of vegetation succession accelerated by canopy closure of planted woody species. In order to execute this restoration project, the project first evaluated habitat requirements of desired species, growing site characteristics of the desired vegetation type, and propagule dispersal abilities. The principal research questions that were addressed in the...United Kingdom: England: Restoration of Reedbeds for Bitterns at Minsmere RSPB Nature Reserve
Country: United Kingdom
Abstract: Restoration of reedbeds for bitterns at Minsmere RSPB Nature ReserveFrom estimates of 12 to 14 calling male bitterns at Minsmere between 1971 and 1973, numbers declined to just one calling male, with no evidence of breeding, in 1991. This mirrored a similar national decline with numbers falling from 70 to 80 calling males in the 1950s to a low of just 11 calling males in 1997. Although work had been carried out over the years at Minsmere to maintain open water in pools and ditches, the...Costa Rica: Caño Island Coral Reef Restoration
Country: Costa Rica
Abstract: This project explored the efficacy of importation and transplantation of coral fragments onto dead reef frameworks. Because of the increasing loss and degredation of coral reef habitats, researchers sought a way to arrest the nearly 100% mortality that was occurring in shallow water habitat off the coast of Costa Rica. The project found that after three years there was 79%-83% survivorship, while fragmentation cause a 41%-115% increase in new coral colonies, indicating that the project...Mexico: Adaptive Restoration of Arenales, Paricutin Volcano, Michoacan
Country: Mexico
Abstract: Beginning in 1943, the Paricutin volcano emerged from a corn field and proceeded to erupt for 9 years, eventually forcing the relocation of the village of San Juan Parangaricutiro. This project was an effort to explore the restoration of areas called arenales, or sand pits, that resulted from the eruption covering old agricultural fields with tephra, or volcanic ash. The project explored the restoration of the smooth-barked Mexican pine (Pinus pseudostrobus) to these arenales and how mulching...USA: Arizona: Patagonia/Sonoita Creek Preserve Sacaton Restoration
Country: United States of America
Abstract: Big sacaton (Sporobolus wrightii) once covered riparian floodplains throughout the southwestern United States and northern Sonora, Mexico. Today, these grasslands occupy less than 5% of their previous range. This restoration project evaluated the role of arbuscular mycorrhizae in the establishment and survival of sacaton at the Nature Conservancy's Patagonia/Sonoita Creek preserve near Patagonia, Arizona. The project evaluated the efficacy of using different sized transplants grown under...Mexico: Los Tuxtlas Tropical Forest Restoration
Country: Mexico
Abstract: The Los Tuxtlas project was started with the hypothesis that planting seedlings of interior forest species after land abandonment could sharply accelerate the process of re-vegetation of complex communities. Pioneer stands or monocultural plantations may be enriched with seedlings of late-successional animal-dispersed trees, or initial plantings could be mixes of late-successional and pioneer species. This project sets criteria for selecting species for enrichment and in some cases for...USA: New Mexico, Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo) Riparian Restoration
Country: United States of America
Abstract: The Ohkay Owingeh riparian restoration project is a series of coordinated projects reaching back to the 1990s that now encompasses over 700 acres of restored ecological mosaic including wetlands, cottonwood gallery forest, grassland, shrub cover, open water, and dense emergent willow thicket that is ideal for bird habitat, particularly Southwestern Willow Flycatcher.Mexico: Tropical Montane Cloud Forest Restoration, Veracruz.
Country: Mexico
Abstract: Tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) is the most diverse type of vegetation in Mexico. While TMCF covers only 1% of the land surface of the country it is home to 10% of the flowering plant species. Many tree species of cloud forest provide good quality timber, which is used locally for many purposes. Cloud forests contain around 450 tree species in total (though only one TMCF species, Liquidambar styraciflua, has been studied in detailed trials designed to determine its suitability...United Kingdom: England: Re-creating Heathland and Acid Grassland at Minsmere RSPB Nature Reserve
Country: United Kingdom
Abstract: Re-creating heathland and acid grassland at Minsmere RSPB Nature Reserve, Suffolk. Lowland heathland is one of the most threatened habitats in the UK, with large losses, especially during the 20th century, due to abandonment, urbanisation, infrastructure development, and conversion to agriculture and forestry. Many of the remaining areas are small and fragmented. Therefore maintaining and restoring existing, and creating new, areas of heath is a high priority for many conservation...Mexico: Querus Rugosa Restoration in Ecological Park of Mexico City
Country: Mexico
Abstract: In order to define the 'regeneration niche' and then promote the restoration of Quercus rugosa into a disturbed area, investigators studied seed predation, germination, seedling survival and growth of Quercus rugosa at three different sites: the forest interior, the forest border and a disturbed site, along a disturbance gradient. Acorn removal on the ground was high at the sites, with higher removal rates from 25-seed clusters than from 5- and 1-seed clusters. More seeds were removed at the...South Africa: Namaqualand Restoration Initiative – Bringing Mining, Biodiversity, and Local Communities Together
Country: South Africa
Abstract: Mining is one of the biggest threats for the long term sustainability of the unique and sensitive Namaqualand ecosystem. Namaqualand falls within the Succulent Karoo, one of only two semi-arid ecosystems to be included in the world's 34 biodiversity hotspots - areas highlighted for conservation action because of the richness of their biodiversity, its uniqueness and the level of threat that it faces. The Namaqualand Restoration Initiative (NRI) was founded by Dr. Peter Carrick (programme...Kenya: Dryland Rehabilitation and Community Resources Management by the Elangata Wuas Ecosystem Management Programme (Kajiado District)
Country: Kenya
Abstract: The Kenyan Maasai peoples' pastoral lifestyle has been curtailed since the coming of the colonial government to the present day. First, their movement was restricted South of the Uganda railway line in 1912 leading to heavy loss of prime pasture land including dry season grazing areas, salt licks and watering points. Nomadic pastoralism was perceived then as a retrogressive land use system and major cause of land degradation. In the early 1960s, the government of Kenya introduced a group ranch...South Africa and Namibia: Restoring the Succulent Karoo
Country: Namibia, South Africa
Abstract: Stretching along the Atlantic coast of Africa, from southwestern South Africa into southern Namibia, the Succulent Karoo biodiversity hotspot covers 102,691 square kilometers of desert. It is one of the 34 richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life on Earth. These biodiversity hotspots cover only 2.3 percent of the planet, yet contain 77 percent of all terrestrial species diversity. The Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Programme (SKEP) is the result of a one-year planning...Mexico: Nuevo Leon: Restoration of Dwarf Pine (Pinus culminicola) in the Cerro El Potosi
Country: Mexico
Abstract: This small pilot experiment was designed to test the effects of cattle, small mammals, and elevation on the success of restoration of an endemic dwarf pine species in northeastern Mexico. Pinus culminicola grows only in four high peaks in the Sierra Madre Oriental and is under pressure from grazing, wildï¬res, and human activities such as mining, road development for timber extraction, and telecommunication and aerial navigation devices. The study planted and monitored 2-year-old seedlings...USA: Colorado: Uncompahgre Plateau Project
Country: United States of America
Abstract: The Uncompahgre Plateau (UP) Project was formalized in a 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)/ Cooperative Agreement (CA) by the Public Lands Partnership (PLP), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and Tri-State Generation joined the partnership in 2004. These organizations formed a collaborative to restore and sustain the ecological, social, cultural and economic values of the...USA: California: Ah Pah Creek Watershed Restoration
Country: United States of America
Abstract: Ah Pah Creek is a fourth order stream with a 16.3 square mile watershed composed entirely of steep, forested land. Virtually all of the drainage is owned by the Simpson Timber Company and is managed for commercial timber production. There are three major tributaries to the main stem: the North Fork, the South Fork and Moon Creek. The main stem upstream of the South Fork confluence is often referred to as the "Middle Fork", but is identified as the main stem. The majority of the reaches in...Chile: Restoration and Rehabilitation of Mixed Espinales in Central Chile
Country: Chile
Abstract: Chilean espinales, located in the unrrigated portions of the central valley of the country's Mediterranean climate region, provide the framework for subsistance-level agriculture and animal husbandry for approximately 300,000 people. This research and development program has been aimed at the ecological and economic rehabilitation of agroecosystems in these espinales. Data in this study has been collected on: (1) revised management techniques aimed at restoring the gross superstructure and...USA: Utah: The Provo River Restoration Project
Country: United States of America
Abstract: In 1999, work began on 19 km of the Provo River in the Heber Valley to clean-up, and otherwise restore, the habitat and ecological functions of the middle Provo River. This $45 million effort, called the Provo River Restoration Project (PRRP), has now been completed, and the reconfigured channel is among the most heavily fished streams in Utah. Fish and wildlife, including an endangered species, have thrived following restoration efforts. This project is a nationally recognized effort. No other...USA: California: Restoring Bolsa Chica Wetlands
Country: United States of America
Abstract: The Bolsa Chica wetlands are located in Orange County, CA, surrounded by the City of Huntington Beach. The project site lies adjacent to the California Department of Fish and Game's Ecological Reserve and consists of 350 acres of habitat within 1300 acres of lowlands, most of which the State owns. The complicated history to restore the Bolsa Chica wetlands stretches back over several decades but began to reach fruition in the mid-1990s. In October 1996, eight state and federal agencies...Australia: Western Australia: Eradication of Buffel Grass on Airlie Island (Pilbara Coast)
Country: Australia
Abstract: Airlie Island is a 25 ha nature reserve and lies off the Pilbara Coast, 35 km northeast of Onslow. The island has been used in the last decade as a fuel storage depot by three successive companies. Imminent decommissioning of the petroleum activities on the island require that buffel grass control be undertaken to ensure that the weed is contained, controlled or eradicated. Though the lessee is only required under agreement to control buffel grass and revegetate in the leased area...USA: California: Restoring Tidal Wetlands at Sonoma Baylands, San Francisco Bay
Country: United States of America
Abstract: The Sonoma Baylands project recreated tidal wetlands using 2.0 million cubic metres of dredged material. The design was based upon an extensive review of the first generation of restoration projects in San Francisco Bay and incorporated the lessons learned from these early projects. The Baylands project used dredged material in far lower quantities than previous projects to assure that the fill served as a template for the development of a wetland with an extensive tidal slough system. The...USA: California: Restoration Research at Red Rock Canyon State Park
Country: United States of America
Abstract: Red Rock Canyon officially became part of the State Park system in 1968. In 1989, 4000 acres were added to the park in a land transfer with the Bureau of Land Management. The South Flat area was included in these lands, and up until the land transfer had been heavily used by OHVs as a campground with large motor homes, a racetrack and a play area for 4WD vehicles and motorcycles. The State Park staff closed the area in 1989 and fenced the area off preventing further OHV activity. The Soil...Costa Rica: Establishment of a Local Biological Corridor Through Ecological Restoration
Country: Costa Rica
Abstract: In 2004 the Nature and Community Project, an effort between Chiquita Brands International, MIGROS (a swiss retailer), GTZ (German cooperation agency) and Rainforest Alliance was initiated. This project has been working on ecological restoration activities to achieve the consolidation of a local biological corridor in the northern Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. The goal of this project is the recovery of degraded and damaged ecosystems as well as the replacement of ecosystems that were...