Management Of Restoration Projects Research Articles

Leveraging co-production within ecosystem restoration to maximize benefits to coastal birds

Coastal Louisiana's ecosystems are threatened by anthropogenic factors exacerbated by climate change induced sea-level rise. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill resulted in injuries and deaths to coastal birds in Louisiana, and the ongoing loss of habitat has limited the potential for successful nesting of resident birds throughout the coast. Habitat loss is being addressed through increased large-scale ecosystem restoration as a result of settlement funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. To further inform bird restoration in Louisiana, an avian restoration guidance document (Guidance for Coastal Ecosystem Restoration and Monitoring to Create or Improve Bird-NestingHabitat, 2023) was developed to maximize restoration benefits for coastal breeding birds while also achieving broader habitat restoration objectives. The developed restoration guidance was co-produced by subject-matter experts and professionals, including avian experts, engineers, and coastal restoration project managers. The result of this cross-disciplinary effort was specific and targeted guidance that presents designable habitat features that are in the control of project engineers and are also important high-value bird nesting habitats (e.g., shoreline access, elevation heterogeneity and edge habitat). For the first time in Louisiana, defined nest-site characteristics and monitoring approaches are readily available to inform ecosystem restoration project implementation. The restoration document specifically emphasizes bird species that breed and nest in coastal habitats in Louisiana, and restoration managers can use these guidelines to explicitly incorporate bird nesting habitat features into coastal restoration planning, design, and implementation. In developing this guidance, many knowledge gaps and data needs were identified specific to engineering and project design, enabling the research community to frame research questions around specific coastal restoration questions. The co-production of science model applied here for avian resources is applicable to a wide range of other living marine resources that may benefit from large-scale ecosystem restoration and is an example of the benefits of working relationships, communications, and common goal setting.

Promoting success in thin layer sediment placement: effects of sediment grain size and amendments on salt marsh plant growth and greenhouse gas exchange

Thin layer sediment placement (TLP) is used to build elevation in marshes, counteracting effects of subsidence and sea level rise. However, TLP success may vary due to plant stress associated with reductions in nutrient availability and hydrologic flushing or through the creation of acid sulfate soils. This study examined the influence of sediment grain size and soil amendments on plant growth, soil and porewater characteristics, and greenhouse gas exchange for three key U.S. salt marsh plants: Spartina alterniflora (synonym Sporobolus alterniflorus), Spartina patens (synonym Sporobolus pumilus), and Salicornia pacifica. We found that bioavailable nitrogen concentrations (measured as extractable NH4+‐N) and porewater pH and salinity were inversely related to grain size, while soil redox was more reducing in finer sediments. This suggests that utilizing finer sediments in TLP projects will result in a more reduced environment with higher nutrient availability, while larger grain sized sediments will be better flushed and oxygenated. We further found that grain size had a significant effect on vegetation biomass allocation and rates of gas exchange, although these effects were species‐specific. We found that soil amendments (biochar and compost) did not subsidize plant growth but were associated with increases in soil respiration and methane emissions. Biochar amendments were additionally ineffective in ameliorating acid sulfate conditions. This study uncovers complex interactions between sediment type and vegetation, emphasizing the limitations of soil amendments. The findings aid restoration project managers in making informed decisions regarding sediment type, target vegetation, and soil amendments for successful TLP projects.

AI-Powered Tracking for Sustainable Marine Ecosystem Resource Management Projects

Ecosystems are our planet's life-support systems that facilitate sustainable development. Within the marine ecosystem, oysters serve as a keystone species. Numerous oyster restoration projects have been launched with a crucial element involving precise assessment of oyster population sizes within specific reef areas. However, the current methods of tracking oyster populations are approximate and lack precision. To address this research gap, the authors developed an AI-empowered project for oyster detection. Specifically, they created a dataset of wild oysters, utilized Roboflow for image annotation, and employed image augmentation techniques to augment the training data. Then, they fine-tuned a YOLOv8 computer vision object detection model using their dataset. The results demonstrated a mean average precision (mAP) of 85.2 percent and an accuracy of 87.7 percent for oyster detection. This approach improved upon previous attempts to detect wild oysters, offering a more effective solution for population assessment, which is a fundamental step toward sustainable oyster restoration project management.

MODELS OF THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-MANAGED ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PORTFOLIOS OF INFRASTRUCTURE RENEWAL PROJECTS OF UKRAINE

Introduction. The recovery of Ukraine from the consequences of the full-scale aggression of the russian federation requires the implementation of a whole set of projects, programs and project portfolios. At the same time, the task of choosing a management methodology for such projects is urgent. The analysis of methodological trends shows that the fourth stage of the development of methodological structures is currently underway - from the use of one methodology, through the development of the Agile methodology and the use of management of project collections (programs, portfolios) – project-oriented organizations began to use methodological mixes. As an expedient, it is proposed to investigate the syncretic principle and the corresponding methodology of managing projects, programs and portfolios of projects. This methodology is aimed at solving the urgent problems of creating and developing the methodology of management of restoration projects and is not sufficiently researched. Problem statement. Projects and portfolios of infrastructure restoration projects of Ukraine are implemented by a large number of participants representing different countries, different management cultures and different project management methodologies. One of the prerequisites for the success and efficiency of restoration projects is the creation of a new methodology that would ensure efficiency in such conditions, to which is added the trend of using by organizations the principles of self-management.

Invasive water chestnut hinders tidal wetland development

AbstractConsistent shoreline development and urbanization have historically resulted in the loss of wetlands. However, some construction activities have inadvertently resulted in the emergence of new tidal wetlands, with prominent examples of such anthropogenic wetlands found within the Hudson River Estuary. Here, we utilize two of these anthropogenically created tidal wetlands to explore the sedimentary and hydrologic conditions driving wetland development from a restoration perspective. Tivoli North is an emergent freshwater tidal marsh, while Tivoli South is an intertidal mudflat with vegetation restricted to the seasonal growth of invasive water chestnut during summer months. Using a combination of sediment traps, cores, and tidal flux measurements, we present highly resolved sediment budgets from these two protected bays and parameterize trapping processes responsible for their divergent wetland evolution. Utilizing a 16‐year tidal flux dataset, we observe net sediment trapping in Tivoli North for most years, with consistent trapping throughout the year. Conversely, flux measurements at Tivoli South reveal net sediment loss over the study period, with trapping constrained to the summer months. Here, we explore potential mechanisms responsible for these contrasting accumulation regimes, including initial geological differences, sediment loading, and human land use changes, with a focus on the invasion of emergent aquatic vegetation. Results suggest that water chestnut is contributing to these divergent morphologies by inhibiting sediment trapping and facilitating erosion, thereby preventing marsh nucleation in Tivoli South. The longevity of this dataset highlights the capacity of aquatic vegetation to regulate sediment exchange and geomorphology in enclosed bays when provided with an opportunity to colonize. The results of this project provide evidence to inform the management of restoration projects in river systems with tidal wetlands, especially those affected by invasive species of aquatic vegetation.

A tenuous link: Information transfer between urban ecological research and restoration practice

Despite a growing theoretical understanding of restoration ecology, this scientific knowledge is not typically well linked to restoration practitioner decision-making. Urban restoration projects are increasing worldwide due to the myriad ecological, social, cultural and economic benefits restored ecosystems provide, but if not linked to ecological theory these projects may not achieve long-term goals such as restoration of ecosystem structure and function. We conducted an Aotearoa New Zealand-wide survey of urban forest restoration practitioners using a combination of open-ended and fixed-answer questions to better understand drivers behind their planning, implementation, and management of restoration projects. We chose urban forest restoration as a model system because these practitioners are faced with extraordinary social pressures to restore under severely degraded ecological conditions, and therefore require reliable, efficient methods for success. Our goals were to 1) understand trends in practitioner decision making 2) identify weak links in knowledge transfer between restoration ecology research and ecological restoration practice, and 3) suggest targeted methods to strengthen information transfer between researchers and practitioners. Our survey identified a tenuous link between current scientific knowledge regarding best-practice restoration and practitioner actions. While best-practice recommends setting of specific, measurable objectives to restore ecosystems, the sample of Aotearoa New Zealand urban restoration practitioners surveyed tend to have broad, vague objectives and focus on restoration of simple ecosystem components such as a canopy of early successional plant species. Practitioners also prioritise management actions like planting or weed control over project planning and quantitative monitoring, despite projects requiring these for long-term success. Results indicate practitioners source knowledge equally through interpersonal interactions (e.g. with ecologists and fellow practitioners) and traditional forms of science communication (e.g. books and scientific articles). This suggests that prioritising interactive, interpersonal modes of science communication would help strengthen knowledge transfer. Additionally, providing practitioners with time-saving resources, adequate funding, and guidance to navigate socio-ecological constraints that arise in urban projects will improve restoration outcomes.

Forest restoration project management: evaluation criteria and measurements

Forest restoration project management: evaluation criteria and measurements

Sowing time and direct seeding success of native tree species for restoring tropical forest ecosystems in northern Thailand

Direct seeding (sowing seeds directly into ground) is potentially a cost-effective method of forest restoration that could replace or complement conventional tree planting, under certain conditions. However, the effects of timing on both the success and practicability of direct seeding has received little attention. Therefore, this study determined the effect of seed sowing time on direct seeding efficiency in terms of yield (number of established seedlings per 10 seeds sown) and seedling growth. We tested the hypothesis that seeds, stored and sown at the start of the rainy season, have higher and more rapid germination and that the resultant seedlings perform better, compared with those sown immediately after seed collection. Seeds of 17 native tree species, typical of seasonally-dry, upland, evergreen forest, were collected. Triplicates (50 seeds per replicate) were sown directly into degraded land, shortly after collection and compared with the same for stored seeds, sown at the start of the rainy season. Control seed batches were also germinated in a nursery for comparison. Seed germination was recorded weekly and growth and survival of resultant seedlings were recorded periodically. Our results did not support the above hypothesis. Differences in mean yield (number of seedlings established per 100 seeds sown) and growth between the two sowing times were not significant. Germination percentage and median length of dormancy (MLD) did not differ significantly between the sowing times, except for Artocarpus lacucha and Horsfieldia amygdalina, whose seeds germinated better immediately after seed collection than after storage (p < 0.01). Storage shortened median length of dormancy of Hovenia dulcis, Melia azedarach, Phyllanthus emblica, Prunus cerasoides and Spondias pinnata seeds (p < 0.01). Seedling growth of a few species rivalled reported values of planted saplings (P. cerasoides, M. azedarach and B. variegata), regardless of sowing time. Timing of the direct seeding did not appear to be critical. This provides forest restoration project managers with flexibility in their use of this technique as a restoration tool. The advantages and disadvantages of direct seeding, immediately after seed collection or at the start of the rainy were compared with those of conventional tree planting. We conclude that species selection matters more than timing, when direct-seeding in forest restoration projects (except for recalcitrant species, which can only be direct seeded soon after seed collection). From this study, Adenanthera microsperma, Bauhinia variegata, Melia azedarach, Phyllanthus emblica and Prunus cerasoides are recommended, for direct seeding, to restore seasonally dry upland evergreen forest ecosystems in northern Thailand and at other sites within their natural species ranges.

Slough evolution and legacy mercury remobilization induced by wetland restoration in South San Francisco Bay

Coastal wetlands have a long history of degradation and destruction due to human development. Now recognized as one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, substantial efforts are being made to restore this critical habitat. While wetland restoration efforts are generally viewed as beneficial in terms of providing wildlife habitat and flood control, they are often accompanied by dramatic physical and chemical changes that may result in unintended consequences, which are rarely studied. Alviso Slough, a tidal slough in South San Francisco Bay, California, is the site of an ongoing effort to restore former salt-production ponds to intertidal marsh habitat. Restoration is complicated by the fact that (1) the ponds undergoing restoration are severely subsided and (2) subsurface sediments within the slough and surrounding ponds are contaminated with legacy mercury deposits. Due to concerns regarding mercury remobilization, restoration has proceeded in a cautious, methodical manner. To assess the amount of legacy mercury remobilized since restoration began, we developed a technique of combining high-resolution, biannual measurements of bathymetric scour with mercury concentration measurements from sediment cores. We estimate that 52 kg (±3) of mercury was remobilized in the 6 years since restoration began. Net bathymetric change analyses revealed seasonal trends of peak erosion during the winter months and little to no net change during summer months. Our analyses provide crucial insight on the spatial and temporal scales of geomorphic evolution within a tidal slough resulting from both natural (seasonal) variability and restoration actions. The technique presented here could be applied to other study sites and various sediment-associated contaminants of concern to aid in the design and management of restoration projects aiming to minimize negative impacts from legacy contaminants.

粤北南岭大宝山矿流域山水林田湖草修复阻力与优先级分析

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 粤北南岭大宝山矿流域山水林田湖草修复阻力与优先级分析 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201905291121 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家重点研发计划（2018YFD0800701） Resistance and priority analysis of landscape forest fields, lakes, and grass restoration in Dabaoshan mining basin Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:遵循“防源、控流、治汇”理念，以粤北南岭大宝山矿区作为风险源，以所在流域为研究区，分析研究区主要阻力因素，采用最小累积阻力模型建立区域生态阻力面；利用Jenks自然断点法，分析生态修复优先级，提出分区治理重点和对策。研究结果表明：研究区综合阻力系数处于9-32之间，各评价指标的阻力面空间分布格局相似，其阻力值呈现出东南部大，西北部小的空间格局；长期的矿业开采污染了流域生态环境，且距离矿区越近的区域生态修复的优先性越高。将研究区分为4个优先级区，各区修复优先性依次为Ⅰ区 > Ⅱ区 > Ⅲ区 > Ⅳ区。Ⅰ区重点在于治水，提高pH、降低重金属有效态含量和增加地表植被覆盖度。Ⅱ区重点在于河流治理与治土，确保污染减排，增强拦泥库的废水调节。Ⅲ区、Ⅳ区核心在治土，逐步改善土壤条件。研究结果为修复项目在时空尺度上落地和科学治理提供科学依据。 Abstract:Following the concept of "source prevention, flow control, and sink control", taking Dabaoshan mining area in nanling, north guangdong as the source of risk and the basin as a research area, the main resistance factors of the area were analyzed and studied. This paper utilized the minimal cumulative resistance (MCR) model to establish the regional ecological resistance surface, analyzed ecological restoration priorities using Jenks natural breakpoint method, and proposes key points and countermeasures for regionalized governance. The results show that the comprehensive resistance coefficient of the study area was between 9 and 32, and the spatial distribution pattern of the resistance surface of each evaluation index was similar, with a large resistance value in the southeast and a small spatial pattern in the northwest. Long-term mining has polluted the ecological environment of the basin, and the closer the mining area, the higher the priority of regional ecological restoration. The study area is divided into four priority areas, and the priority of each area is in turn:Area I > Area II > Area III > Area IV. Area I focuses on water control, increasing pH, reducing the available content of heavy metals, and increasing vegetation coverage. Area II focuses on river control and soil control, ensuring a reduction in pollution and enhancing the waste water regulation of sludge reservoirs. Areas III and IV focus on soil control, gradually improving soil conditions. The results provide a scientific basis for the landing and scientific management of restoration projects on spatial and temporal scales. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Disaster restoration project management: leadership education and methods

Purpose Disaster restoration concerns the mitigation and repair of buildings and property resulting from natural and man-made disasters. This paper aims to investigate current attitudes with respect to disaster restoration project management leadership and its associated education. Design/methodology/approach Relevant literature is presented to provide some background with respect to disaster restoration projects, project management and leadership education. This is followed by a questionnaire survey that seeks opinion from appropriately qualified industry practitioners on a series of important issues with respect to the topic. Findings The results provide some insight into disaster restoration leadership education and methods. It was found that varied degrees of support existed on issues involving knowledge, teaching approaches and delivery modes. Research limitations/implications This research focuses on leadership and education as it pertains to the restoration of buildings post disaster. It does not delve into leadership education with respect to disaster management in general. Practical implications Appropriate education and training of industry participants needs to take place to ensure that qualified people undertake restoration projects. This study informs disaster restoration educators and industry with respect to leadership education and methods. Originality/value There have been many studies on leadership and education. However, this study has a specific focus on how disaster restoration practitioners view leadership and its associated education within their field.

Assessment of Stream Restoration: Sources of Variation in Macroinvertebrate Recovery throughout an 11‐Year Study of Coal Mine Drainage Treatment

Stream restoration researchers have a complex array of alternative assessment methodologies using macroinvertebrates. We examined sources of variation among three field sampling methods and five metrics in three networked streams impacted by a circumneutral coal mine discharge treated midway through an 11‐year study. Constructed wetlands captured the primary stressor, 700 kg iron/day. Before pollution abatement, copious iron hydroxide smothered downstream sites for decades. Two second‐order streams and one fourth‐order receiving stream, each with matching locations upstream and downstream, were monitored midsummer from 1994 to 2004. We compared taxa density (TD) (number/sample), abundance, expected taxa richness (ETR), U.S. regional pollution tolerance values (RTV), and community similarity (CS) indices from 3 to 11 replicate samples/site using grab samples (i.e. D‐nets, rock washes) and incubated leaf packs. Variation due to sampling method, metric, location, and year significantly influenced outcomes when analyzed using regression and analysis of variance. TD, RTV, and CS indicated biological recovery lagged 6 years behind chemical improvement; ETR and abundance showed more severe, persistent impairment in the two, highly impacted second‐order streams compared to the fourth‐order stream. Incubated leaf packs offered a preview of stream recovery in downstream sites, providing clean food (leaves) and substrate (mesh) and attracted more taxa and abundance than grab samples. In light of the worldwide distribution of coal mining often accompanied by metal hydroxide deposits into streams, we suggest restoration project managers use a variety of sampling methods, metrics, and models to evaluate remediation of physical as well as chemical impairment from mining.

Open dumps in the Hellenic prefecture of Laconia: statistical analysis of characteristics and restoration prioritization on the basis of a field survey

This study presents an assessment of the current status of open dumps in Laconia prefecture of Peloponnese in southern Greece, where all open dumps are targeted for closure by 2008. An extensive field survey was conducted in 2005 to register existing sites in the prefecture. The data collected included the site area and age, waste depth, type of disposed waste, distance from nearest populated area, local geographical features and observed practices of open burning and soil coverage. On the basis of the collected data, a GIS database was developed, and the above parameters were statistically analysed. Subsequently, a decision tool for the restoration of open dumps was implemented, which led to the prioritization of site restorations and specific decisions about appropriate restoration steps for each site. The sites requiring restoration were then further classified using Principal Component Analysis, in order to categorize them into groups suitable for similar restoration work, thus facilitating fund allocation and subsequent restoration project management.

River Restoration in the Twenty‐First Century: Data and Experiential Knowledge to Inform Future Efforts

Abstract Despite some highly visible projects that have resulted in environmental benefits, recent efforts to quantify the number and distribution of river restoration projects revealed a paucity of written records documenting restoration outcomes. Improving restoration designs and setting watershed priorities rely on collecting and making accessible this critical information. Information within the unpublished notes of restoration project managers is useful but rarely documents ecological improvements. This special section of Restoration Ecology is devoted to the current state of knowledge on river restoration. We provide an overview of the section’s articles, reflecting on lessons learned, which have implications for the implementation, legal, and financing frameworks for restoration. Our reflections are informed by two databases developed under the auspices of the National River Restoration Science Synthesis project and by extensive interactions with those who fund, implement, and permit restoration. Requiring measurable ecological success criteria, comprehensive watershed plans, and tracking of when and where restoration projects are implemented are critical to improving the health of U.S. waters. Documenting that a project was put in the ground and stayed intact cannot be equated with ecological improvements. However, because significant ecological improvements can come with well‐designed and ‐implemented stream and river restorations, a small investment in documenting the factors contributing to success will lead to very large returns in the health of our nation’s waterways. Even projects that may appear to be failures initially can be turned into success stories by applying the knowledge gained from monitoring the project in an adaptive restoration approach.

Evaluating Stream Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed through Practitioner Interviews

Abstract River restoration is an integral part of restoring the Chesapeake Bay. As part of the National River Restoration Science Synthesis (NRRSS), we conducted 47 independent interviews with stream restoration project managers randomly selected from a database of 4,700 projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Here we present results from those interviews and characterize patterns in project goals, design, and expenditures, trends in project evaluation, and characterize project success as reported by interviewees. Interviewed practitioners reported that the majority of their projects were designed by private consultants. One‐third of projects were part of a watershed management plan and 70% were linked to other projects within the same watershed. Most interviewees considered their projects to be successful, and 76% of projects had conducted some form of project‐associated monitoring. Although most interviewees based their evaluation of success on observations or monitoring data, respondents indicated that very few projects had explicitly stated quantifiable project objectives within their design plans. Many interviewed practitioners specifically commented at the end of the surveys on the important role of stakeholder involvement and the need for initiatives to fund project monitoring.

Restoring Rivers One Reach at a Time: Results from a Survey of U.S. River Restoration Practitioners

Abstract Despite expenditures of more than 1 billion dollars annually, there is little information available about project motivations, actions, and results for the vast majority of river restoration efforts. We performed confidential telephone interviews with 317 restoration project managers from across the United States with the goals of (1) assessing project motivations and the metrics of project evaluation and (2) estimating the proportion of projects that set and meet criteria for ecologically successful river restoration projects. According to project managers, ecological degradation typically motivated restoration projects, but post‐project appearance and positive public opinion were the most commonly used metrics of success. Less than half of all projects set measurable objectives for their projects, but nearly two‐thirds of all interviewees felt that their projects had been “completely successful.” Projects that we classified as highly effective were distinct from the full database in that most had significant community involvement and an advisory committee. Interviews revealed that many restoration practitioners are frustrated by the lack of funding for and emphasis on project monitoring. To remedy this, we recommend a national program of strategic monitoring focused on a subset of future projects. Our interviews also suggest that merely conducting and publishing more scientific studies will not lead to significant improvements in restoration practice; direct, collaborative involvement between scientists, managers, and practitioners is required for forward progress in the science and application of river restoration.

Restoring the Victorian Western (Basalt) Plains grassland. 1. Laboratory trials of viability and germination, and the implications for direct seeding

Summary The Victorian Western (Basalt) Plains grassland is one of Australia's most threatened plant communities. Practitioners using seed for its restoration need to know whether seed can be sown fresh or whether it requires an after‐ripening period. This study assessed the viability and germination of freshly harvested wild seed from 64 grassland species indigenous to the Basalt Plains of western Victoria. The seed was collected as part of a broader experiment that examined the potential of direct‐sown complex seed mixes for the restoration of grassland communities. The germination of fresh seed at 25°C varied widely between species. Comparisons with tetrazolium viability tests for each species indicated varying levels of dormancy within the species pool. Germination separated into three broad responses at day 28. One‐third of the species failed to germinate, one‐third germinated at 1% to 50% and the remaining species germinated between 51% and 100%. Therefore, if the aim of a sowing was the rapid and synchronous establishment of most of the sown species, the use of fresh seed in restoration could be problematic. After 3 months of dry storage, eight species were re‐tested for germination. Each of the selected species had shown high viability but low initial germination. Only two species significantly increased their total germination at 25°C. The annual species, Triptilodiscus pygmaeus, increased its total germination from 6% as fresh seed to 99% after dry storage. Testing the viability and germination capacity of freshly harvested seed from a large and diverse sample of native grassland species demonstrated that many of the species were unlikely to germinate rapidly or synchronously when sown in complex seed mixes soon after harvest. This finding has implications for the scheduling and management of restoration projects that rely on the use of such seed.

Plant Adaptation Regions: Ecological and Climatic Classification of Plant Materials

The effective use of plant materials for an array of objectives including conservation, restoration, renovation, landscaping, and bioremediation requires knowledge of the adaptation of each species and, more specifically, knowledge of the adaptation of cultivars, strains, accessions, or ecotypes of a species to specific sites or regions. For agronomic and horticultural plants, specific adaptation information has been and continues to be developed by extensive testing. Rangeland, grassland, park, and restoration project managers often lack the resources to determine adaptation areas for plant materials because of the large number of species that are used and the extensive geographical areas that are serviced. Problems often arise in delineating adaptation areas for plant materials of both native and introduced species. Since ecoregion and plant hardiness zone classification systems integrate many climatic and geographic variables that determine plant adaptation, these 2 systems can be combined to develop Plant Adaptation Regions (PARs). A PAR map of the contiguous United States was developed by merging a widely used ecoregion map with the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map, and is available in GIS format. Based on their geographic origins and/or test results, plant materials and their general areas of adaptation can be classified using PARs.

Plant Adaptation Regions: Ecological and Climatic Classification of Plant Materials

The effective use of plant materials for an array of objectives including conservation, restoration, renovation, landscaping, and bioremediation requires knowledge of the adaptation of each species and, more specifically, knowledge of the adaptation of cultivars, strains, accessions, or ecotypes of a species to specific sites or regions. For agronomic and horticultural plants, specific adaptation information has been and continues to be developed by extensive testing. Rangeland, grassland, park, and restoration project managers often lack the resources to determine adaptation areas for plant materials because of the large number of species that are used and the extensive geographical areas that are serviced. Problems often arise in delineating adaptation areas for plant materials of both native and introduced species. Since ecoregion and plant hardiness zone classification systems integrate many climatic and geographic variables that determine plant adaptation, these 2 systems can be combined to develop Plant Adaptation Regions (PARs). A PAR map of the contiguous United States was developed by merging a widely used ecoregion map with the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map, and is available in GIS format. Based on their geographic origins and/or test results, plant materials and their general areas of adaptation can be classified using PARs.

Les références en écologie de la restauration

This paper first defines the concept of “reference” regarding environmental restoration projects. The concept of “restoration” itself is developed in relation to contemporary uses of cultural and notably architectural preservation. A difference is made between economic and social reconstruction aims on the one hand and ecological or conservation goals on the other. While it must be based on historical and present day knowledge of the area, the choice of ecological references is also dependent on the collaboration of interested parties, local agents and institutional partners. Also it is generally unrealistic to aim to recreate environments as they existed previous to alteration or damage. The second part presents an analysis of the various uses of the concept of “reference” among members of the research group “Recréer la Nature” (recreate nature). It is shown that restoration references often mix poorly understood and sometimes idealized historic knowledge, present day effects of previous actions and social or conservation goals. Pragmatically, the research group defines three main types of restoration references : those linked to emergency repair or risk prevention ; those that mainly underscore biodiversity reasons to define rehabilitation strategies by ending the causes of disruption ; and last references linked to rejuvenation problems of abandoned lands or on the way to be abandoned. The third part discusses socio-ecological conditions for a “good restoration”, in the context of evolving practices of restoration project managers. The links between projects and actual or potential requests from the scientific or political community are pointed out. These requests define work groups and aims. Furthermore each project is singular, linked to an environment whose history, ecology, and future evolution are specific. Nevertheless, knowledge of these specifics is difficult as they pertain to different scales of time and space. This difficulty nevertheless doesn’t impede action, especially prudent experimental action, provided simplistic solutions are avoided.