1 Design and Restoration

2 Appreciative Design From Fridley, 2006 Stakeholders (including Problem Owner) Stakeholder expectations (SE) Functional Requirements (FR) Constraints (C) Design Parameters (DP)

3 Stakeholders Problem Owner (PO) PO commissions the project Seek input from all stakeholders Moving targets are part of game Employ active listening Document stakeholder input carefully

4 Functional Requirements Achieving required function is paramount Only Problem Owner forces FR’s Key word is “Functional” Example: “Must provide habitat for X.”

5 Constraints Restrict how required function is achieved Brought by any/all stakeholders Always too many to list Yet you must understand them Example: “Must retain habitat for X.”

6 Design Parameters Specified by you the designer Generally something physical The full set of DP’s is your “design” Example: “To meet this particular C we will stabilize the bank with Y.”

7 Hierarchical Example – Bicycle –DP of a derailleur is selected before the dimensions of the little sprockets are specified Example – Restoration –DP of mulch is selected before a commercial fabric or cardboard are specified to go under the mulch

8 Elements of a Restoration Project Site Assessment Plant Materials Site Modification Site Conditioning Installation Monitoring and Maintenance

9 Site Assessment Elements Determination of ecosystem types Hydrology and water quality Topography and drainage Soils Boundaries Ecological communities External conditions Functions performed Local climate History Any site constraints

10 Plant Material Requirements Native Appropriate for restoration goal (to restore wetland, prairie, etc.) Will survive site conditions Will be competitive with invasive species Affordable Available when needed Meets requirements for local genotype

11 Example: Plant material, plant selection Functional Requirements –Must be key species –Must survive –Must be available DP –Use spp A,B,D,etc. FR 2 –Spp A should be bare root –Spp B should be container plant Constraints –Native –Local genotype –Budget C 2 –Nursery supply –Time of year

12 Site Modification can include a number of different treatments Invasive plant removal Grading –Filling, cutting, impoundment –Stream channel construction –To provide adequate drainage –To provide proper elevations –To create desirable water depths –To connect to water sources –Creation of micro-topography

13 Removal of unacceptable materials –Weed seedbanks, toxic substances, non-soil Seedbed preparation Placement of aboveground obstructions Creation of wildlife habitat structures Engineered elements –Weirs, dams, dikes, infiltratration systems, swales

14 Plugging ditches and removing tiles Installing liners Structurally repairing eroded areas

15 Example: Site modification, invasive plant removal Functional Requirements –Spp Z must be removed DP –Use herbicide FR 2 –Herbicide must be effective DP –Use paint-on application FR 3 –All leaf area must be wetted Constraints –Removal must cause minimal disturbance C 2 –Herbicide must not drift C 3 –Application must be finished in three days

16 Site conditioning can include Seedbed improvement Preparatory crops/stubble Mulch Creation of shade Addition of topsoil on stripped sites Building of soil OM by growing vegetation that can tolerate a degraded site

17 Techniques to ameliorate salinity problems Bioremediation Methods for creating more complex soil biota Flooding/draining –To add biomass –To accommodate wildlife –To decrease targeted species

18 Example: Site conditioning, micro-climate modification Functional Requirements –Species grouping needs shade DP –Plant woody vegetation FR 2 –Must shade first year DP –Use live stakes FR 3 –Select spp. that will stake well Constraints –Site not currently shaded –Herbaceous weeds in seedbank C 2 –Must be native C 3 –Must plant before Apr 15

19 Installation Construction –Hydrology, grading Construction management –Time line, windows, sediment, salvage, responsibility for oversight Planting –Planting plan, transport, storage, planting Herbivory protection Irrigation

20 Example: Installation, management of planting Functional Requirements –Plant in design groups DP –Pre-mix FR 2 –Mixed groups must be identifiable and assigned to installation polygons DP –Number and flag plant groups with colored tape. FR 3 –Provide colored maps to each crew Constraints –Plants all look alike C 2 –Many of crew members are volunteers without much training C 3 –Crew members may need map training

21 Monitoring and Maintenance Performance standards for plants Hydrology Wildlife Invasives plan Herbivory System perturbations Routine maintenance Secondary planting Monitoring

22 Example: Monitoring, herbivory and protection response Functional Requirements –Monitor for herbivory and protect if damage DP –Set up walking patrol of site for first two weeks, then once a week FR 2 –Set up appropriate defenses if herbivory threatens installation Constraints –Herbivory may be slow and steady or fast and intense C 2 –Hard to identify herbivore unless observed –Must not look unnatural –Must not harm animal