Abstract
The speed with which restoration will, or can, be accomplished depends on the initial state and location of the sites. However, many factors can undermine the process of choosing sites that are deemed the best ecological choice for restoration. Little attention has been paid to whether site selection follows ecological criteria and how this may affect restoration success. We used habitat inventory data to investigate whether ecological criteria for site selection and restoration have been followed, focusing on restoration for the white-backed woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos B.) in Sweden. In our study region, which is situated in an intensively managed forest landscape with dense and young stands dominated by two coniferous species, purely ecological criteria would entail that sites that are targeted for restoration would (1) initially be composed of older and more deciduous trees than the surrounding landscape, and (2) be at a scale relevant for the species. Furthermore, restoration should lead to sites becoming less dense and less dominated by coniferous trees after restoration, which we investigated as an assessment of restoration progress. To contextualize the results, we interviewed people involved in the restoration efforts on site. We show that although the first criterion for ecological site selection was largely met, the second was not. More research is needed to assess the motivations of actors taking part in restoration efforts, as well as how they interlink with public efforts. This would allow us to identify possible synergies that can benefit restoration efforts.
Highlights
As a reaction to recent and anticipated future declines in species populations, and following a general concern about ecosystem health, attempts to restore ecosystems are increasingly common [1,2]
Our study addresses the issue of whether site selection meets ecological criteria by using a case study to determine whether site selection for the restoration of a locally red-listed species, the WBW, was based on its habitat needs
The mean volumes of coniferous species before restoration were significantly lower Concerning whether restoration sites contained older trees and more deciduous trees in the sites selected for restoration than in the buffer zones, except for spruce
Summary
As a reaction to recent and anticipated future declines in species populations, and following a general concern about ecosystem health, attempts to restore (parts of) ecosystems are increasingly common [1,2]. The main aim of restoration is to recover a self-sustaining ecosystem which is resilient to normal stress and disturbance levels and interacts with contiguous ecosystems [3]. The SER International Primer on Ecological Restoration [3]. It is unequivocal that a site near the desired state will reach a restored ecosystem state more quickly than a site that is not. When the aim is to reintroduce and preserve a specialist species, the target species’ ecological requirements are central to the selection of restoration sites. A stakeholder may have several motivations for choosing a site, including ecological, logistic, and economic
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