Wetland Restoration Success Stories

1
Wetland Restoration Success Stories
Are there any?
Presented by Arin C. Haverland
2
To restore or not to restore?that is the
question!

• In restoring wetlands we must ask
• Restore to what?
• Is restoration of wetlands more important than
  existing wetlands?
• Is it advantageous?
• Help or Hinder biodiversity?
• Will endangered species become more susceptible
  to invasive species?
• To what degree will habitats be destroyed in the
  process?

3
Challenges in Wetland Restoration

• Complex, Costly Controversial
• The term wetland is ambiguous
• Multiple agencies-NOAA, WFS. WWF, EPA, ACOE, NRCS
• Lack of records and ecologically mature restored
  wetlands, lack of understanding
• No immediate results, great uncertainty
• Difficult to mimic flood pulsing and disturbance
  regimes
• Actual boundaries are difficult to pinpoint

4
Planning
Necessary, but often an uphill battle!

• Choosing a Project Site
• Setting Goals and Objectives (such as full or
  partial, active or passive restoration)
• Using Reference Sites
• Using Adaptive Management
• Publicizing the Project
• Implementation
• Monitoring

• Translating to Action
• Securing Interest Participation
• Leadership
• Outlasting Political Trends

Challenges
5
Past, Present, and Future Restorations

• Design Theories are too linear
• Adequately monitor during and after completion

A major problem for all restorationists is that
they are attempting to recreate an ecosystem that
is no longer present on the site and is known
only from historical records. (Allison 2002)
Outlook Good!
6
Green Oaks, Illinois
A survey of the third oldest tallgrass prairie
restoration in the Midwest demonstrates the
difficulty in achieving a Complete Restoration
(Allison 2003)
7
Methods and Results
Original goal not achieved, but still SUCCESSFUL!
Mead
Green Oaks
Remnant
Agricultural Land
297 100 105 75 from Original list
Species Rich Tallgrass Prairie
71.4 Species Richness
8
More Good News
Continued Success in Europe!
(A. P. Grootjans and S. K. Verbeek 2002)
Meadows Ag Fens/Bogs Ag
Grasslands Meadow
9
Modeling Success
Used techniques from river valleys in Germany,
Poland, and the Netherlands
Success Mineral Soils, Disturbance Dynamics,
choose areas least affected by Drainage and
Agriculture
10
Yet another lovely response curve.

• Mowing, Rewetting and Sod Cutting Regimes were
  Manipulated Monitored

• Flood pulsing and Disturbance Regime

11
Finallythe take home message!

• Do not second guess nature!
• Restoration is complex, often costly, and the
  results are uncertain.
• Restoration is easier anf more successful then
  creation.
• As wetland functions are increasingly understood,
  restorations may be significantly more successful
  !!!!!!!!!!!

Thank You!