Framework for Ecological Restoration - Project Planning and Management for Ecological Restoration - page 10

FIGURE 1-4. A modified Australian crow live trap on the Sweetwater River, intended to remove the nest
parasite brown-headed cowbird. No nest parasitism on the least Bell's vireo for three years contributed to a
300 percent increase in population. San Diego, California. (Photo by John Rieger.)
vireo in California. In New Zealand, the practice of removing exotic predators from islands prior
to reestablishing endangered or sensitive species has become a routine practice.
Construction and Installation Strategies
Construction and installation strategies for ecosystem restoration tend to be more resource intensive
than do management activities. Construction activities typically include landform changes, such as
slope and elevation, and the erection of barriers and temporary irrigation systems. Construction ac-
tivities may include the removal of structures (e.g., dams or diversions) and the removal or rerouting
of infrastructure (e.g., pipelines or roadways). A good example is the reconstruction of a stream that
was previously “moved” to make land more usable (often for agriculture), which involves both the
excavation of the “new” stream channel and the filling in of the rerouted stream channel. Construc-
tion strategies commonly require large sums of money to fund the activities and materials needed to
restore the site. Whether you choose an approach that is more management oriented versus one that
is construction oriented depends on the site and your established goals and objectives.
A study of a particular site might indicate that an element is missing that is largely responsible
for the sustenance or continued existence of the ecosystem. Typically, this element is abiotic in
nature, such as the alteration of hydrology. Levees around the bays and shores that eliminate tides
are the most obvious situation. Land elevations may be lower than in the past, because of land sub-
sidence or loss of soil caused by agricultural practices, or higher, as a result of sedimentation or fill.