Tropical Montane Cloud Forests (TMCFs) are among the vegetation types facing the greatest threats, both globally and in Mexico. Ecological restoration of TMCFs is a priority in several tropical countries. In this paper, we propose that restoration of TMCFs based on applied nucleation methods should be accompanied by a set of additional mechanisms that form a six-prong strategy. In our experience, the essential set of tools to ensure positive results is composed of (1) a diagnostic-prescriptive stage;(2) species selection and nursery management of native species for restoring the tree strata; (3) the use of a set of biological indicators to monitor its progression; (4) restoration training for local and government stakeholders; (5) active dissemination of information through a network of private landowners; and (6) voluntary land protection. The proposed framework is based on a decade of interdisciplinary work of the Mexican conservation nonprofit organization Pronatura Veracruz. Although nucleation has been proposed and used to accelerate the natural succession of other tropical forests, there is no detailed documentation of concurring elements to achieve its long-term success.
We present a simple method to use birds to assess and track the restoration of Tropical Montane Cloud Forests using birds as indicator species. The method is composed of three pieces: a classification of disturbance phases, the collection of speciesand assembly-level bird data, and the matching of these two data sets to understand its relationships. We were able to select three species of resident and three species of Neotropical migrants exclusively associated to each of the four habitat phases, as well as some characteristics at the assembly level that help understand the condition of habitats, prescribe restoration intervention plans, and to track its progress over time. The approach described here is intended to be of simple application, aimed for practitioners, and be easily replicated in other places.
Holl and Zahawi (2018) agree on a number of approaches that we describe in a local case study of tropical montane cloud forest restoration in Mexico. However, they contend our argument that most applied nucleation projects have taken place in tropical lowlands as a mistake. They also provide data on the per‐hectare cost of restoration projects in Costa Rica and compare it to a higher cost figure of plantation‐style reforestation, a view contrary to ours. Last, Holl and Zahawi recognize that applied nucleation requires specialized personnel, but imply that the amount of training needed for this endeavor is not very different than what is required to implement other forest recovery projects. In this counter‐response, we provide some refinements to our original opinion and offer further information in support to our perspective.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.