• Elements of a Restoration Project

• Stevens and Vanbianchi. 1993. Restoring Wetlands in Washington: a Guidebook for Wetland Restoration

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/93017.html

• National Research Council, 1992. Restoration of Aquatic Systems.

•

• Elements of a Restoration Project,

• from Harker et al. Landscape Restoration Handbook, 2^nd Ed. 1999

• 1. Get technical advice from experts.

• 2. Define goals, objectives and measurements.

– Number of spp. Added

– Size of area

– Structure of vegetation

– Target animal spp.

– Allowable exotic cover

– Functions to be restored

• 3. Develop a detailed site plan

– Site assessment

• Disturbance, hydrology, topography, soils, ecological communities (what is there?)

– Preliminary design

• Vegetation, grades, hydrology, habitat features, human access

– Plan should include a map with existing and proposed conditions.

– 4. Determine plant material to be used and sources available

– Some elements of desired community and some elements used to condition site

– Quantities

• Desired structure (densities, locations)

• Sequencing

• Forms

• Sources

• Collect and grow?

• 4. Determine plant material to be used and sources available

– Seed collecting and nursery grow-out may need to be started 3 years in advance of need.

– Purchase from nurseries for a spring or summer planting should be ordered the previous fall..

– Last-minute purchases mean bare shelves

• 5. Create a detailed plan for each community.

– Maps

– Polygons and flagging

– Species lists

– Likely, but not certain locations for spp. groups

• 6. Prepare the site

– A final design and planning for project management happen somewhere along here

– Critical path

• Invasive removal, mulching, rainy season, planting

– Windows

• Construction only in summer; bare root only in winter

– Time-limited periods

• Stockpiled soils and plants

• Bare soils

• 6. Prepare the site

– Ground contours

– Vegetation clearing

– Drainage

– Mulch

– Amendments

– Site the yards, haul-roads, nursery areas, sediment control facilities

• 7. Supervise the project

– Grading

– Vegetation removal

– Herbiciding

– Planting

– Wildlife structure construction

– Turning water into a project

– Volunteers

• 8. Control invasives

• 9. Plan for feedback and mid-course corrections

– Things change:

• Plant and seed availability

• Seedling failure

• Water levels

• Weather

• Weeds

• Herbivory

• Erosion

• Floods, fires, pestilence

• Etc.

– 10. Develop a plan for long-term monitoring, maintenance and management

– Most projects need a formal Invasive Species Management Plan

– Thresholds, trigger events, actions

• Porteous, T. 1993. Native Forest Restoration; a Practical Guide for Landowners

•

SITE SELECTION
and
DESIGN

• Susan Galatowitsch and Arnold van der Valk. 1994. Restoring Prairie Wetlands; an Ecological Approach. Iowa State University Press, Ames, 246 p.

• I. Site selection guidelines

– A. Selection is based on the purpose of the wetland and ability to execute the purpose

• 1. Reasons usually cited for restoring prairie pothole wetlands:

– Creating wildlife habitat

– Improving water quality

– Reducing flooding problems

• 2. Successful restoration depends on physical, ecological and hydrological factors

– Size and depth of basin

– Size of watershed

– Proximity to other wetlands

– Potential for natural re-vegetation

– Expected input of nutrients, pesticides, sediment

– B. Locating restoration sites

• Topo maps

• County soil surveys

• One meter deep cores

• Old-timers

– C. Restoration feasibility

• 1. How much of basin can be restored without conflicts on adjacent lands. *

• 2. Potential hydrology

– Historic water regime may not return

• 3. Potential for natural re-vegetation

– Persistent plants

– Seed bank

– Natural re-colonization

» Distance to nearest seed source

– D. Inventory

• 1. Make plant lists as part of assessment

• 2. Inventory surviving wetlands in basin

– (and protect them)

• 3. Assess seasonality of flooding

– Persists through spring, persists through summer, etc.

– Flooding into mid-summer generally guarantees a semi-permanent marsh

• 4. Flood nomograph*

• II. Design considerations

– A. Designs differ, depending on goals*

• Rail and bittern habitat: temporary wetlands

• Dabbling duck habitat: semi-permanent

– B. Restoration designs are site modifications to create desired hydrology*

• Plugging drains, removing tiles

• Building dikes

• Excavating a basin

– C. Dike function

• Keep water in or out

– To raise water

– To protect some adjacent land use

• Do not build dike unless there will be enough water to fill it up

• Placement and height of dike may be determined using topo map in site evaluation phase

– Find elevation that will fill pool and water will flow through outlet

– Property lines may control this

– D. Dike construction

• Height

– Higher than 4-6’ requires an engineer

• Clay core

– Excavate sand or gravel stream channels that go under the dike

• Spillways

• Animal defenses (muskrats)

• Failure

– Overtopping

– Undermining during channel flow

– Sloughing from wave action

– Piping; excavation from burrowing animals

– Seepage along water control structures

• Water control structures

– Pipes through dike

– Spillways

– Valves

– Whistle tubes

• Controllable structures allow draw-downs

– To control vegetation growth

– To provide optimum waterfowl levels

– For repairs