Restoration Overview:Restoration Overview:THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TOTO

Ecological RestorationEcological RestorationWally CovingtonWally Covington

School of ForestrySchool of Forestryandand

The Ecological Restoration InstituteThe Ecological Restoration InstituteNorthern Arizona UniversityNorthern Arizona University

The Least You Need to KnowThe Least You Need to Know(apologies to Alpha Books (apologies to Alpha Books

series)series)►Greater Ecosystems of the West are Greater Ecosystems of the West are

“going to hell in a hand basket”“going to hell in a hand basket”►Ecological restoration offers a way to Ecological restoration offers a way to

restore ecologic, economic, and social restore ecologic, economic, and social healthhealth

► It matters what treatments we chooseIt matters what treatments we choose►Collaborative approaches are essentialCollaborative approaches are essential

Ecological restoration presents us with an

opportunity to convert a liability into an asset for present and future

generations.

What does the Ecological What does the Ecological Restoration Institute do?Restoration Institute do?

we are a service organizationwe are a service organization► Knowledge discovery and synthesisKnowledge discovery and synthesis

Not just research in the traditional senseNot just research in the traditional sense Collaborative research in service of managementCollaborative research in service of management

► Knowledge transferKnowledge transfer Not just academic publicationsNot just academic publications Practical documents, both printed and electronicPractical documents, both printed and electronic Not just teaching academic course workNot just teaching academic course work Continuing education, both directed and self-directedContinuing education, both directed and self-directed

► Knowledge applicationKnowledge application Work with practitioners on a broad range of projectsWork with practitioners on a broad range of projects Work with local to national policymakersWork with local to national policymakers Work with community based groups, private land owners, Work with community based groups, private land owners,

Why is ecosystem restoration Why is ecosystem restoration relevant to national forest relevant to national forest

management?management?► The catastrophic fire seasons of ’74, ’77, ’80, 88, ‘94, The catastrophic fire seasons of ’74, ’77, ’80, 88, ‘94,

‘96, ‘00, and ‘02 have long been predicted. ‘96, ‘00, and ‘02 have long been predicted. ► Unprecedented forest insect and disease were also Unprecedented forest insect and disease were also

predicted.predicted.► Lengthened fire seasons, increasing drought, Lengthened fire seasons, increasing drought,

increasing urban: wildland interface conflicts long increasing urban: wildland interface conflicts long predicted are now a reality.predicted are now a reality.

► Predicted loss of critical human and wildlife habitat is Predicted loss of critical human and wildlife habitat is occurring at an accelerating rate.occurring at an accelerating rate.

► The trend will clearly continue.The trend will clearly continue.► There is a strong consensus that restoring forest There is a strong consensus that restoring forest

health is the best way to prevent further degradation health is the best way to prevent further degradation and set forest on a path to long term sustainabilityand set forest on a path to long term sustainability

What is ecosystem What is ecosystem restoration?restoration?

► Ecosystem restoration is not a fixed set of Ecosystem restoration is not a fixed set of proceduresprocedures

► It is not a recipe for land managementIt is not a recipe for land management► It is a broad intellectual and scientific It is a broad intellectual and scientific

framework for developing beneficial human: framework for developing beneficial human: wildland interactions wildland interactions

► It consists not only of restoring ecosystems, It consists not only of restoring ecosystems, but also of developing human uses of but also of developing human uses of wildlands compatible with ecological wildlands compatible with ecological integrity and ecosystem sustainabilityintegrity and ecosystem sustainability

► But, ecosystem restoration is not a panaceaBut, ecosystem restoration is not a panacea

Definitions (SER Primer 2002)Definitions (SER Primer 2002)

► Ecological restoration assists recovery of the Ecological restoration assists recovery of the (evolutionary/ecological) trajectory of (evolutionary/ecological) trajectory of degraded ecosystemsdegraded ecosystems

► Reference ecosystem (landscape)Reference ecosystem (landscape)► Active and passive restorationActive and passive restoration► Monitoring and evaluationMonitoring and evaluation► Restoration planningRestoration planning► Ecological restoration and restoration ecologyEcological restoration and restoration ecology► Integration of ecological restoration into larger Integration of ecological restoration into larger

programsprograms

Restoration planningRestoration planning

► Rationale for why restoration is neededRationale for why restoration is needed► Ecological description of sites to be restoredEcological description of sites to be restored► Statement of goals and objectivesStatement of goals and objectives► Description of reference systemDescription of reference system► How restoration sites will integrate with greater How restoration sites will integrate with greater

landscapelandscape► Explicit plans, schedules, and budgets, Explicit plans, schedules, and budgets,

including mid-course corrections (adaptive including mid-course corrections (adaptive management)management)

► Performance standards, monitoring, and Performance standards, monitoring, and evaluation (include control plot where feasible)evaluation (include control plot where feasible)

► Strategies for long-term maintenanceStrategies for long-term maintenance

Crownfires are the latest in Crownfires are the latest in a long series of symptoms of a long series of symptoms of declining ecosystem health. declining ecosystem health.

► Loss of herbaceous coverLoss of herbaceous cover► Increased erosionIncreased erosion► Irruption of tree populationsIrruption of tree populations► Decline in water balanceDecline in water balance► Loss of plant and animal diversityLoss of plant and animal diversity► Loss of esthetic valuesLoss of esthetic values► Unnatural insect and disease epidemicsUnnatural insect and disease epidemics► Shift to catastrophic crownfiresShift to catastrophic crownfires

2000 Pumpkin, Pipe, and Power fires

The time for quibbling over size of trees to be thinned, WUI buffer distance, and what to do is over.

We should heal the patient, We should heal the patient, not just treat the symptomsnot just treat the symptoms

► Ecosystem restoration not only treats Ecosystem restoration not only treats crownfire symptoms, but also attacks the crownfire symptoms, but also attacks the underlying causes of ecosystem health underlying causes of ecosystem health decline.decline.

► Thinning or burning alone are short-term Thinning or burning alone are short-term treatments that only temporarily relieve the treatments that only temporarily relieve the symptoms.symptoms.

► The long-term solution is restoration of The long-term solution is restoration of ecosystem health.ecosystem health.

This is a big problem--but we This is a big problem--but we can solve itcan solve it

►Restoration based approaches are proven Restoration based approaches are proven at a small scale (100+ ac) in a variety of at a small scale (100+ ac) in a variety of ecosystem typesecosystem types

►They must be tested and refined as we They must be tested and refined as we apply them at large scales (10-50 apply them at large scales (10-50 thousand ac) in an adaptive management thousand ac) in an adaptive management approachapproach

►Greater ecosystem (1-3 million acre) Greater ecosystem (1-3 million acre) assessments are essential for assuring assessments are essential for assuring that restoration investments are strategicthat restoration investments are strategic

What exactly is a greater What exactly is a greater ecosystem?ecosystem?

Greater ecosystems are a regional complex of Greater ecosystems are a regional complex of ecosystems with common landscape-level ecosystems with common landscape-level characteristics linked by wide ranging wildlife, characteristics linked by wide ranging wildlife, landscape scale disturbance regimes, and, landscape scale disturbance regimes, and, yes, human communities as keystone citizens yes, human communities as keystone citizens among the community of organisms.among the community of organisms.

We must think and act at a scale and pace We must think and act at a scale and pace appropriate to the forest health crisis.appropriate to the forest health crisis.

Without objective scientific Without objective scientific knowledge, treatment decisions knowledge, treatment decisions are dominated by ill informed are dominated by ill informed speculation, subjective speculation, subjective judgment, bias, and ideology. judgment, bias, and ideology.

What is needed are treatments What is needed are treatments based on thorough knowledge, based on thorough knowledge, reasoned analysis, and factual reasoned analysis, and factual evidence.evidence.

Reference Restoration Reference Restoration TreatmentTreatment

►Retain trees which predate settlementRetain trees which predate settlement►Retain postsettlement trees needed to Retain postsettlement trees needed to

re-establish presettlement structurere-establish presettlement structure►Thin and remove excess treesThin and remove excess trees►Rake heavy fuels from base of treesRake heavy fuels from base of trees►Burn to emulate natural disturbance Burn to emulate natural disturbance

regimeregime►Seed with natives/control exoticsSeed with natives/control exotics

Change Basic Prescription Change Basic Prescription for Specific Resource for Specific Resource

ObjectivesObjectives►Might leave more trees to accommodate Might leave more trees to accommodate

specific resource management specific resource management objectives, e.g., screening cover for objectives, e.g., screening cover for human or wildlife habitat goals, future human or wildlife habitat goals, future wood harvesting, favoring specific useswood harvesting, favoring specific uses

►Might leave fewer trees to accommodate Might leave fewer trees to accommodate other objectives, e.g., to favor viewsheds, other objectives, e.g., to favor viewsheds, wildlife goals, grazing, water balancewildlife goals, grazing, water balance

Alternative Restoration Alternative Restoration Prescriptions Produce Prescriptions Produce

Very Different OutcomesVery Different Outcomes

Full RestorationFull Restoration

Minimal ThinningMinimal Thinning

Burn OnlyBurn Only

Predicted Fire Characteristics Predicted Fire Characteristics for Plot 23for Plot 23

June 97June 97thth-percentile weather, 30 -percentile weather, 30 mphmph

replacemereplacement rationt ratio

1:11:1 1.5:11.5:1 3:13:1 6:16:1

trees/actrees/ac 4747 7070 141141 282282

fire typefire type surfacsurfacee

surfacsurfacee

passivpassivee

activeactive

% crown% crown 00 2020 6969 100100

btu/ftbtu/ft22 491491 673673 17901790 23312331

herbageherbage 856856 571571 134134 112112

streamflostreamfloww

6.76.7 6.66.6 6.16.1 4.84.8

scenic scenic valuevalue

8585 6161 3434 2727

Comprehensive ecosystem Comprehensive ecosystem restoration approaches not only restoration approaches not only reduce crownfire threat, but also reduce crownfire threat, but also improve forest health and resource improve forest health and resource use opportunities for present and use opportunities for present and future generations.future generations.

There is broad scientific, social There is broad scientific, social and political support for working and political support for working with natural tendencies in with natural tendencies in restoring the dry forests of the restoring the dry forests of the SouthwestSouthwest

Where do we go from here?Where do we go from here?

► We must all become conversant in the We must all become conversant in the principles and terminology of ecosystem principles and terminology of ecosystem health restorationhealth restoration

► We must educate stakeholders, including We must educate stakeholders, including those within our organizationsthose within our organizations

► We must move forward systematically and We must move forward systematically and resolutely to restore ecosystems before they resolutely to restore ecosystems before they unravel beyond repairunravel beyond repair

► We must do this in the context of the larger We must do this in the context of the larger social and political natural resource issuessocial and political natural resource issues

The Least You Need to KnowThe Least You Need to Know

►Greater Ecosystems of the West are Greater Ecosystems of the West are “going to hell in a hand basket”“going to hell in a hand basket”

►Ecological restoration offers a way to Ecological restoration offers a way to restore ecologic, economic, and social restore ecologic, economic, and social healthhealth

► It matters what treatments we chooseIt matters what treatments we choose►Collaborative approaches are essentialCollaborative approaches are essential