Island restorers battle red tape more than weeds, survey finds
Baguette FMMP, Baider C, Merven R, Florens FBV
Native Plants
Native plantings in your yard or local nature reserve depend on the same routine of pulling invasives, growing natives in nurseries and replanting, and this survey shows that projects often stall on funding and governance rather than on horticulture.
Researchers asked 54 people who restore native habitat on two Indian Ocean islands what they do and what gets in their way. Most spend their time removing invasive plants and animals, planting native seedlings grown in nurseries, and monitoring results. The biggest roadblocks are organizational and governmental, but most of the fixes people suggest are gadgets and better techniques, so the underlying problems may stay unsolved.
Key Findings
Surveyed 54 conservation practitioners on Mauritius and Rodrigues, using hierarchical clustering to group their restoration activities into four clusters.
Invasive species control, in-situ planting of nursery-propagated native plants, and ecological monitoring dominate; research, fauna conservation and policy enforcement are done by only a minority.
Most perceived challenges arise at organisation and national (governance) levels, while most proposed solutions are technical and site-specific, such as new equipment, better invasive control methods and new technology.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Surveys of 54 conservation workers on Mauritius and Rodrigues show native habitat restoration leans on weeding out invasive species, planting nursery-grown natives and monitoring. Most obstacles are organizational and political, yet the fixes people suggest are mostly technical, so the biggest barriers may go unaddressed.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Practitioners' perceptions on ecological restoration: activities, challenges and solutions on two small oceanic islands.
Ecosystem degradation worldwide causes biodiversity loss and negatively impacts their functioning, eroding the services they provide to the detriment of society and human well-being. The magnitude ...
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