Restoration planning
– closing the loop
Stephen Hartley* & Frances Forsyth#
*School of Biological Sciences &
Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology
Victoria University of Wellington
# Wildland Consultants Ltd
Based on a presentation by Colin Meurck (2010 restoration day),
based on a presentation by Murray Williams
What is a restoration plan?
• A guiding document
– Outlining a journey from where
are you now (current status) to
where you want to be
• Keep it short & clear, and supplement it with 2
other documents.
– An annual work plan (budgeting time, money,
materials and labour)
– A monitoring plan
Why write a restoration plan?
• To keep everyone on the same page
– Heading for (more or less) the same goal
• To clarify your group’s thinking
– identify and avoid procedural inconsistencies
– identify knowledge gaps
• To convince potential funders that you are
organised, accountable and “a good bet” for
funding
What might a restoration plan look like?
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Introduction
Vision / Goals
Site description
Threats
Objectives / actions
Monitoring
Appendices
Where do we want to end up?
Where are we now?
What if we do nothing?
How are we going to get there?
How will we know if we are on track?
Extra info that could be useful, but
which could distract from the main
plan
Te Raekaihau Point
ecological rehabilitation plan 2010-2014
Table of Contents
Introduction _________________________________________________________4
Historical context _____________________________________________________4
Site description_______________________________________________________6
Current ecological issues_______________________________________________7
Management recommendations ________________________________________9
Principles for ecological rehabilitation: ____________________________9
Aims of ecological rehabilitation _______________________________10
Actions ___________________________________________________________10
Monitoring ________________________________________________________18
Interpretation ______________________________________________________19
Time frame for 5 year rehabilitation plan________________________________20
The next twenty years________________________________________________21
Acknowledgements__________________________________________________21
Appendix one: Consultation for this plan_________________________________22
Appendix two: Site species list (current) _________________________________23
Table: Species recommended for planting
Map of rehabilitation and planting
Vision
• A high-level statement that everyone can
agree to
– (the ultimate goal in 100-500 years time)
• Example:
A thriving forest ecosystem supporting a full
complement of the region’s wildlife and natural systems
Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust
2003-04 Working Document
“To remove forever, introduced mammalian
pests and predators form Maungatautari, and
restore to the forest a healthy diversity of
indigenous plants and animals not seen in our
lifetime”
• A healthy, self-sustaining ecosystem, free of all
introduced mammals and comprising indigenous
species that are appropriate to the Orokonui site,
where people can enjoy a peaceful encounter
with nature, and from which they may take
recreation, refreshment, new knowledge, new
skills and a new commitment to conservation.
Study site description
• Historical context
• Current values
– Landscape
– Soils / water
– Fauna
– Flora
– Cultural values
– Recreational
– Educational
Threats
• Current trends / problems
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increasing abundance of weed species
decrease in abundance of key bird species
lack of tree recruitment
predators
• Potential threats
– Loss of habitat to development projects
– Biosecurity risks
• Be specific and quantitative if possible
Additional points to consider /
alternative approaches
• A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats)
analysis
• Research tenure, land/reserve status, community
consultation, iwi liaison (these contacts may yield allies
to the cause)
• Local Govt plans that may affect site – roads, services, etc
• Mapping of main land units which may become
restoration units
Goals, objectives and actions
• Goals are a more specific statement of the
vision.
• They describe the intended endpoint
• They should be considered fixed
• They are not time dependent
• They should be agreed upon by the whole
group (as far as possible)
• Consider 1-2 for each key value
Maungatautari : Vision and Goals
Goals, objectives and actions
• Objectives support particular goals
• They are what needs to be achieved in order
to make progress
• They represent potential legs of the journey
• They should be time dependent (3-30 years)
• If they aren’t being achieved they can be
revised (more than one way to skin a cat)
Maungatautari : Vision, Goals & Objectives
Goals, objectives and actions
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Actions support particular objectives
They are what needs to be done at a very specific level
They should be time dependent (1-5 years)
If they aren’t producing the desired results they can be
revised
• E.g. Goal 1 : to increase bird numbers
• Objective 1.1
: reduce predator numbers
– Possible action 1.1.1 : poison baits against predators
– Possible action 1.1.2 : trap predators
• Objective 1.2
: improve food sources for birds
– Possible action 1.2.1 : plant fruit and nectar sources
– Possible action 1.2.2 : provide supplementary feeders
Technical feasibility
• Talk to lots of people with experience to test your
ideas.
• The plan should be based on objectives and
actions that are feasible.
• If there is no feasible way of achieving the vision
and goals, then agree on a revised set of goals!
• Often there will be considerable uncertainty over
what will work (or what will work best)
– Hence the need for monitoring (checking your
progress) and adaptive management (updating your
objectives and actions) in the light of experience
Optional extras
• Highlight alternative pathways (with a SWOT
analysis)
• Create a timeline
• Create a visual version of the plan
• Highlight potential conflicts between different
objectives (e.g dogs vs penguins)
• Include budget (?)
5-year timeline
Actions
Year 1 2010
Year 2 2011
Year 3 2012
Year 4 2013
Year 5 2014
Site
preparation
X
Weed control
X
X
X
X
X
Pest animals
X
X
X
X
X
Planting
X
X
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X
X
Penguin boxes
Interpretation
X
X
Beach access
X
X
Monitoring
X
X
X
Appendices
Budget
• Not necessarily part of a restoration plan
• Nonetheless you should have one
• It will inform the range of objectives and
actions that you can tackle and over what
time frame
• Volunteer hours are just as important to
budget as dollars
• Detailed budgets are part of the annual work
plan
Where to get information?
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Consult widely across the community
Call a public meeting
Local library
Council libraries and archives
Council staff
LINZ website, council & Google earth for aerial
photos
• Local groups – botanical societies, ornithological
etc.
• Local schools, colleges, university
What next
• Make annual work plans
• Monitor and record progress
• Revise the plan every 5-10 years
The Command and Control Loop
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/mcdp6/ch2.htm
Don’t forget
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Consult with your group
Consult outside of your group
Include photos
Maps
Keep it focussed
• More example plans and a previous version of
this presentation:
http://www.naturespace.org.nz/resourcecentre/preparing-restoration-plan