Controlling a resident Canada goose population in a Washington D.C. wetland restoration allowed native plant communities to bounce back strongly, with more plant cover, species diversity, and richness recovering to near-exclosure levels within a few years of goose management.
1
After goose population control began, unprotected plots recovered to closely resemble fenced exclosure plots in total plant cover, species richness, and Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index.
2
Community composition (which species were present) recovered more slowly than cover or richness metrics, lagging behind other indicators of restoration success.
3
The initial vegetative state of plots in 2009 continued to influence recovery trajectories through 2025, demonstrating a long-lasting legacy effect on plant dynamics even after 16 years.
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