Framework for Ecological Restoration - Project Planning and Management for Ecological Restoration - page 5

Not all plans go as expected, and many designers are now applying the risk management process
to restoration projects (chapter 2; appendix 3). A risk assessment outlines what could go wrong on
your project. The resulting risk avoidance plan is the key element of the risk management process.
This technique helps the project development team reduce the impact of issues that threaten the
successful implementation of the project. The aim of risk management is to develop backup plans
early in the project development process so that when something goes wrong, the team has actions
that can be immediately implemented to minimize impacts to the project scope, schedule, and cost.
Project Design
Design, the second phase, is where one will encounter numerous choices. The path chosen will
be determined largely by the decisions made during the project planning phase. There may be
only a few design options to meet project needs on small sites with a single plant community;
however, on larger projects with more than one plant community, both management and con-
struction strategies may be needed. If the focus is on a target species—a species of specific interest
to stakeholders—combinations of strategies to create the specific habitat elements for the target
species may be needed. Various stages in the design phase will involve situations that require solid
judgment—for example, the complexity and the variability of a site may not permit a precise dis-
tribution of plants by either sowing or planting. Chapter 6 provides general guidance principles
and suggests ways to address specific situations. However, these situations usually require a good
knowledge of the species behavior or ecology.
The development of goals and objectives will in turn guide your approach to the restoration.
The four variations presented in chapter 5 will guide the decisions needed to develop a cohesive
plan. The initial concept plan will address the management strategies, if any, and construction
elements may be limited depending on the size or complexity of the project site. From concept to
the actual design, an iterative process of examining the site with its goals and objectives will force
modifications as one gets further into the design decisions and the specifics required to execute
the project. We have commonly found that changes will still be necessary because stakeholders,
especially regulatory agencies, will have additional observations. Negotiations and project man-
agement skills will be required to resolve issues and come to final consensus on the design. On
more than one project, we have had to make some changes we felt were unwarranted, but we
could not resolve the issues satisfactorily. Ideally, any changes will not affect the overall structure
of your design. Because you will have been communicating with all your project sponsors and
stakeholders, this disaster should not happen.
Following these modifications, the next phase of the process is to develop more formal project
plans with specifications. If the project is primarily a management-oriented process, then having
protocols developed and agreed to by your stakeholders will permit the operations to proceed.
Invariably, there will be some construction elements associated with management-based projects.
An example of an exception would be the use of prescribed fire to achieve a management objec-
tive. Any construction element should be clearly planned and described to ensure an efficient
implementation phase.