Let nature to do your heavy lifting

Many organisations are great at planting, but without restoring the underlying ecological processes, it’s just gardening on a big scale.

So what are ecological processes? Put simply, an ecological process is the interaction between living (such as plants and animals) and non-living things (like soil and water).

Although plants may grow in the short term in your revegetation project, reinstating the underlying ecological processes is essential for maintaining the health and function of your revegetation investment over time and reducing your costs.

In particular for revegetation projects, restoring flows, maintaining pollination and nutrient cycling and implementing appropriate fire cycles are essential for ensuring that plants can produce seed and regenerate, without you having to spend more money over time on re-planting when plants reach the end of their life cycle. That’s a key difference between revegetation, and restoration.

So before you plant, during the planning phase of your project ask: What ecological processes are required to keep this system going?

Here’s how to set up your revegetation project for long-term success:

1. Think like nature – Plan for natural regeneration by understanding the life cycles of plants and animals, their ecological role (e.g. nitrogen fixer) and what is required for them to regenerate over time. Ask your contractor- how long will my plants live without intervention?

2. Consider reintroducing key fauna – Consider ways to attract pollinators for seed production and create regeneration niches by reintroducing soil engineers like bandicoots.

3. Mimic natural disturbance patterns- consider reinstating wetting and drying cycles and plan for appropriate burn cycles.

Although this investment might seem more expensive at the front end, by reinstating ecological processes you’ll reduce your costs over time and achieve a higher biodiversity outcome.

Let’s plan for the system, not just the trees, and let nature do your heavy lifting.

🌏 #Restoration #Revegetation #EcologicalProcesses