Restoration is a term used frequently in forest management and forest protection or preservation. What does it mean to the Houston Sierra Club (HSC)? This article provides information about what ecological restoration should mean for forests.
To regain and maintain healthy forests on our public lands we must restore natural ecological processes so that they function as they did before settlers arrived. A healthy forest contains a mix of species in most areas with vegetation structure (vertical and horizontal layering) that is like forests before the development of our public landscapes.
Natural disturbances, which result in the death of trees, should be allowed to shape restored forests. Natural disturbances create ecological residuals (biological elements that enhance the health of the forest like dead standing or downed trees, root wads, thickets, dens, and cavity trees) that serve as nutrient sources, shelter and food for wildlife, and natural erosion control dams. Natural disturbances include, but are not limited to, droughts, windstorms, ice storms, floods, lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, insects, and disease (like fungal diseases). The HSC supports restoration that:
1) Restores watersheds. To restore a watershed includes a plan to reduce roads and road crossings and their impacts on streams including poorly designed or placed culverts; reduce the effects that dams have on floodplains including, where appropriate, dismantling dams; removal of logging from streamside zones; prevention of urbanization in floodplains and streamside zones; removal of cattle or other livestock; and implementation of best management practice erosion control measures to reduce sediment in streams.
In most cases, ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial riparian (streamside) zones should be left alone. Let Nature re-wild and heal these areas. Due to the richer (organics and nutrients) soil and the abundance of water, natural restoration should occur more quickly in these areas. Soil erosion controls should be small, localized, unobtrusive, biodegradable, and use natural materials from the site, whenever possible.
Obliterate roads, trails, fire lanes, powerlines, oil/gas well pads, pipeline rights-of-way, and other openings. These openings can be used for illegal access to restoration sites or other sensitive areas and act as areas for non-native invasive plant species (NNIPS) introduction. Blocking off these areas with mounds of soil is not adequate to prevent illegal use.
Protect and leave unaltered cavity trees, snags (dead standing trees), downed trees, thickets, dens, cavity trees, root wads, small ephemeral ponds, old growth and or mature trees, and other natural site-specific features. Leave residuals onsite. Allow natural disturbances to shape the forest. No salvage logging.
2) Reduces or eliminates Non-native invasive plant species (NNIPS – also called exotic or alien species) and animals. This would usually be done using low impact measures like prescribed fire, hand-tools, girdling of trees; etc.
Restoration may include planting of native vegetation like trees, shrubs, grasses, and herbaceous plants in their native habitats and in mixtures the way they used to grow or the reintroduction of native species of animals. Allow natural regeneration and re-vegetation to occur, whenever possible. Use native, local, seed sources that are adapted to the site and collect native, local, seeds in advance of restoration efforts or they may not be available when needed.
Remove NNIPS gradually so that natural succession and re-vegetation can take hold. Since many NNIPS thrive in disturbed ecosystems be prepared to enhance natural regeneration or face possibly greater NNIPS problems. Removal or control of feral hogs is a must.
3) Allows natural fires (human or natural wildfires) and prescribed fires to burn so they mimic the natural fire regime in each forest ecosystem. Establishment of the natural fire regime includes the interaction of fire duration, frequency, intensity, rate, seasonality, start locations, and evenness or mosaic/patchiness of burn. Without this mimicry of natural fire, prescribed burning creates a homogenization of vegetation over the landscape which reduces animal and plant biological diversity.
A fire history of forest ecosystems found across a landscape should be conducted. A fire history should include literature searches, land surveys, historical accounts, sediment/pollen/charcoal research, soil analysis, and interpolation from existing old growth or mature vegetation onsite or nearby on similar sites.
4) Provides jobs for local communities near or within the landscape where restored forests are. Jobs created may include obliteration of roads, prescribed burning, planting of native vegetation, erosion control, removal of feral hogs, and similar work which can be labor intensive and site-specific.
Work with, and not against, natural succession. Patience is the greatest characteristic for humans to exhibit during restoration work. Nature works in a timeframe of its own and not of our choosing.
Author: Brandt Mannchen