 |
|
Example Restoration Plan
Introduction
The restoration plan presented here is an
example for the purposes of this report, and is designed as a generic
template. It is theoretical in nature and does not refer to a specific
Garry oak site. In real situations, more information would be added
to this plan, and much of it modified, depending on the type of
ecosystem and needs of a particular restoration project. Under some
headings, we have provided text examples.
Bullets represent key considerations for various sections. This
plan does not contain figures (photographs or maps), but suggests
appropriate places where they could be included. These places are
noted as Fig. or as Figs. where more than one figure would be appropriate.
Template for a Restoration Plan
Introduction
-
provide an overview of your project and
the key components of your Restoration Plan.
-
if this a proposal for funding, list other sources that you
have applied to, or that are providing financial or volunteer assistance
Project Rationale
-
provide as many details as possible on why this project deserves to be undertaken
and funded; although we didn't use references from the literature
here, important project-related references should be included as
support for your project. We have noted where references would be
appropriate by using (ref.).
Example:
Garry oak ecosystems are one of the most
endangered ecosystems in British Columbia and Canada (ref.) and,
as a result, have a high priority for ecological restoration work
(ref.). Since European settlement, all provincial Garry oak ecosystems
have been negatively impacted to some degree and many have been
lost (ref.). Our proposed site for ecological restoration on Blanshard
Island has had relatively less disturbance than many other sites,
but will benefit greatly from the proposed restoration work.
Site Description
-
the site description
should provide available and up-to-date information on the target
site. Some characteristics to consider include thorough descriptions
of the vegetation (describing communities and key plant species),
BEC subzone and site series, general to specific wildlife values,
species of concern, aquatic values and hydrology, and general comments
on geology and climate.
-
include a series of overview photographs showing the major features
along with an aerial photograph of the site; photographs used later
in the plan can be referred to here as well.
-
include a site map showing the location and relevant site features.
Example:
Our proposed restoration activities will
be completed in a Garry oak (Quercus garryana) ecosystem on Blanshard
Island north east of Victoria (in a complete plan, a map showing
the location and relevant features of the site would be included
here as Figure 1). The site is a complex of rock outcrops, cliffs,
and gullies, with Garry oak and associated communities dominant
on the more exposed and drier sites. The total area of the site
is approximately 100 hectares. The underlying rock is principally
sandstone. The site is generally south facing and surrounded on
three sides by a forest mosaic comprised principally of Douglas-fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii) and arbutus (Arbutus menziesii). The south
side of the stand lies along the shoreline of Puffin Bay.
Two broad-based Garry oak-associated plant communities have been
identified for this site and are the focus of our restoration activities.
These communities are:
-
Open moss-dominated communities
(Figs.). These communities are
found on rock outcrops characterized by extremely dry conditions
and shallow, poorly developed soils. Characteristic plant species
are mosses, including frayed-cap mosses (Racomitrium spp.), and
hair-caps (Polytrichum piliferum and P. juniperinum), introduced
grasses, including early hairgrass (Aira praecox), dogtail bristlegrass
(Cynosurus echinatus), and sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum),
and the forb, Wallace's selaginella (Selaginella wallacei).
-
Garry oak woodland communities
(Figs.).
These communities are found on more mesic sites of deeper, well
developed soils, often adjacent to or admixed with the moss-dominated
outcrop communities. Mature Garry oaks range on average from 8 to
13m in height, and their canopy ranges from 40% to 75% cover. The
understory is dominated by grass species, including the native species
(Elymus glaucus), brome (Bromus sp.), and Idaho fescue (Festuca
idahoensis), and the introduced species dogtail bristlegrass (Cynosurus
echinatus) and sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum). One small
portion of the site has a relatively high cover of long-stoloned
sedge (Carex inops). The introduced vascular plant species usually
have a greater cover than the native species.
Site History and Related Disturbance
-
relevant details of human disturbances on-site should be provided here.
-
details of historical disturbances and impacts could be included
here, or in a separate section.
Example:
The proposed site has been cut through by
two former logging roads running roughly east to west (Fig. 1).
These roads were formerly used by the Amadeus Logging Company to
access various portions of the Douglas-fir forest. They have not
been used by vehicles since the 1940's and are mostly overgrown
with broom and other invasive species (Fig.). The roads have often
been used by hikers so that they can access view-points in open
Garry oak habitats. Natural and First Nations fires that once were
common on site have been actively suppressed since the mid-1800's.
We have identified three key phenomena that
have most impacted the ecological health of the Garry oak and associated
habitats on site. These are encroachment by Douglas-fir, invasive
introduced plant species, and human activities, including hiking
and camping. All of these factors have markedly altered the ecosystem
to some degree. Our restoration plan will focus on reducing the
impacts of two of these disturbance factors, Douglas-fir encroachment
and invasive plants, in particular Scotch broom. The problems with
hiking and camping have recently been addressed by local groups,
and concerns regarding impacts related to these activities have
been greatly reduced.
Encroachment by Douglas-fir
Certain areas, in particular in the upper
portions of the property, exhibit signs that former Garry oak communities
have been encroached by the much faster growing Douglas-fir. Evidence
of ingrowth include oaks that have had their main stems die, with,
subsequently, one or more lower branches growing out from under
the faster growing Douglas-fir canopy (Fig.). Some oaks have died.
Also, the forest floor in these areas shows a replacement of typical
dry-site mosses, in particular Racomitrium, and some grasses with
more shade and humidity tolerant species. The cover of native shrub
species is generally higher in areas of Douglas-fir encroachment.
Much of this encroachment appears to be related to an alteration
in the site's fire history. Fire scars are evident on veteran Douglas-fir
and some of the larger Garry oaks, and supports the fact that fire
was more common in the past. Whether fire was First Nations-induced
or 'natural', it probably occurred relatively frequently in these
ecosystems and kept the Douglas-fir in check. The fire factor, in
conjunction with the relatively shallow soils on site and, possibly,
insect pathogens, probably helped maintain stable Garry oak and
open communities over the past centuries.
Invasive Plant Species
Some introduced and invasive herbaceous plant
species, in particular sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum)
and hedgehog dogtail grass (Cynosurus echinatus), are common to
abundant in many of the Garry oak and rock outcrop communities on
site. Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) is a serious problem in some
gullies and along the old logging roads, but less so in the more
open and drier rock outcrop communities, where the plants are usually
stunted. These relatively small and patchy broom plants could be
easily removed.
Project Goals
-
details of your goals as they address the
critical needs of the project are listed and described in detail
here.
-
Goals must be explicit and measurable, so that success can be monitored
Example:
The proposed Blanshard Island restoration
site has many of the classic characteristics of a degraded Garry
oak ecosystem. Except for the areas adjacent to rock outcrops, much
of the oak stand has been invaded by Douglas-fir and various shade-tolerant
shrubs that likely would not be prominent in the historical oak
ecosystem. Invasive species are common in many portions of the site,
and pose an increasing threat not only to the native species, but
also increase the probability of a major fire.
The overall goals of our restoration project are to improve the
general vigour of Garry oaks, and to restore herbaceous native herbaceous
communities that we believe are characteristic of historical Garry
oak habitats on this site. Our management emphasis is on removing
encroachment Douglas-fir and broom from selected sites. Although
there are many invasive species on site, we will focus on broom,
as it is more readily controlled than other species and appears
to have the greatest impact. For our selected sites we intend to
keep the Douglas-fir below 5% percent canopy closure in except in
designated areas, and to remove and monitor Scotch broom to keep
it below 5% of ground cover on the site as a whole. We also intend
to increase the ground cover of important species X, Y, and Z, by
at least 5% over the project's term. A long- term objective is to
eradicate Scotch broom from the entire site. More specific objectives
may be generated from the biological inventory to be completed this
year.
Details
of Restoration Activities
-
include all details of the work that you are proposing, including
onsite supervision and workforce, logistics, permits, and safety
concerns.
-
locations of the work should be clearly identified on maps.
-
include timing and projected completion costs of each activity.
It might be helpful to include a table that details the schedule
and cost of all restoration activities for the current year, and
over the next five years. Monitoring and maintenance can also be
included.
-
include details of your methods that you plan to use to assess
the results of your project (monitoring), as they often go hand
in hand with the initial restoration activities.
Example
(much more detail will be needed in
this section of your plan than is provided here):
Because of financial constraints, we are
not planning to initiate restoration activities in the whole of
the Blanshard Island site, but in four areas most critically in
need of restoration activities. The total area of these sites is
approximately 50 hectares. Please refer to Figure x for the locations
of these areas.
Our activities in each of the four areas in the next year will include:
|
Activities in 2002 cost
|
cost
|
|
a detailed biological inventory (to be completed from May through September)
|
$2,500
|
|
setting up permanent vegetation monitoring transects and plots
in order to assess the changes that will occur following treatment.
Estimations of percent cover and canopy closure will be the principal
data collected, although, as the project advances, other data may
be collected, such as frequency and density data. We will photograph
each trial plot in order to document its general appearance; photographs
will be taken along both transects as well and in all or selected
understory plots. (to be completed along with the following activity
from May 12 to 18)
|
$3,000
|
|
completing baseline vegetation measurements and entering data into database
|
$3,000
|
|
in the treatment trial plots, marking all Douglas-fir trees for removal
|
$375
|
|
in all plots mark and describe the general condition of all
Garry oak trees and seedlings/regenerating stems.
|
$500
|
|
cut down all of the Douglas-fir trees1;
a professional feller must
be in charge of this operation for safety reasons as well as care
since one of our aims is to minimize damage and disturbance to the
Garry oaks.
|
$1,000
|
|
Remove all broom plants (with volunteer assistance)
|
$5,000
|
|
Remove all Douglas-fir and broom debris, burn broom debris
|
$2,000
|
|
Create a project report and a poster for a Garry Oak conference
|
$3,000
|
|
Total cost for 2002:
|
$20,375
|
We
anticipate removing the broom and Douglas-fir, and measuring the
permanent transects and plots each year for the following five years.
The detailed biological inventory will likely reveal rare species
of concern and other areas of the site that will be included in
more detailed project goals in Year 2. In future years, once the
fire hazard posed by the broom and Douglas-fir is lessened, we will
consider prescribing ground fires to maintain the oak groves in
an open condition. To meet our current objectives we anticipate
requiring a follow-up budget of at least $2,000 to $5,000 per year
for the following 5 years (more if burning occurs), and after that
time we hope that standard maintenance can be completely taken over
by volunteers. Longer-term data collection will be done on a periodic
basis and we will seek funds in several years time to re-assess
our progress.
Long-Term Maintenance and Project Monitoring
-
include details of the planned maintenance
activities, and discussion on monitoring for future maintenance
needs.
-
include the performance standards that you will be monitoring here
(performance standards relate to the measurable project goal).
-
include details of how you will assess your long-term data.
-
include a monitoring schedule.
Example:
Maintenance
Long term maintenance will include the continuous removal of new
Douglas-fir and Scotch broom. The removal of these species will
be of much less cost than the initial work, and can be completed
annually along with the vegetation survey. A local group, The Blanshard
Island Naturalists, has volunteered their time to assist in ensuring
that the site will not be disturbed by recreationalists. Selected
volunteers from this group have been trained in broom and Douglas-fir
removal and will also assist in this chore.
Monitoring of Vegetation Changes
Since one of our main goals is to restore native species over time,
we plan to resample each set of permanent plots and transects in
the fall of the treatment year, and in the spring and fall, in order
to account for seasonal variation, of each successive year for at
least five years. We do not have, at present, any local standard
comparative data with which to compare the 'success' of the changes,
but we consider that incremental increases of 5% per year of the
major species X, Y, and Z, based on work in California and Oregon
(ref.), will be of initial value as a performance measure. Our current
performance standards also include the reduction of Douglas-fir
canopy closure to below 5% except in designated areas, and to remove
Scotch broom to below 5% of ground cover. If monitoring reveals
that these standards are not being met the maintenance program will
be re-evaluated. Monitoring will also reveal how often maintenance
must be conducted, and if periodic interventions like ground fire
are necessary.
Monitoring Changes in Garry Oaks
There is very little data on how to
measure the success of Garry oaks in restoration projects (ref.).
However, all of the young Garry oaks that were tagged will be measured
for increase in stem length and change in height on an annual basis
for 5 years after the initial treatment. The older Garry oaks will
also be measured for changes in their upper stems and branches.
We expect that new leaders and shoots will develop once the oaks
are released from under the Douglas-fir. We expect that measurement
methods and frequency may change as the project progresses and more
data is gathered on these trees.
Monitoring Schedule
Data will be collected each year for the 5 years following treatment,
for assessing vegetation change and Garry oak vigor. After that
time a new monitoring schedule will be developed. We anticipate
monitoring may be necessary only at 5-year intervals after that
time, if the treatments are working as planned.
References
|
