Prospecting the potential of ecosystem restoration: A proposed framework and a case study

Abstract

Projects focusing on the restoration of degraded ecosystems have to be financially appealing, spatially multiscaled, and ecologically efficient. Considering such premises, a model was elaborated to assess the locals in relation to the kind of management to be adopted (conservation or restoration) and, for locals indicated for restoration, the kind of restoration to be adopted (assisted or passive). Furthermore, we propose a set of ecologically-based alternatives at medium-and local-scale to assist the restoration of areas considered unsuitable for passive restoration. Such techniques are: install artificial connectors among forest fragments near each other, or, for areas where forest fragments are far each other, install nucleation techniques, revitalization of concrete-lined urban rivers, and the control of erosion and invasive plant species. We tested the potential of our model through a case study carried out in Sorocaba, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The study area is predominantly occupied by pasture lands, but urbanization also is an important land cover category. There are 661 forest fragments, being 25 of them larger than 50 ha. From the area considered "non-habitat", i.e., modified due to human usage, 35.5% of the total study area and 45.5% of the study area classified as non-habitat is suitable for passive restoration, and the rest of the area needs is suitable only for assisted restoration techniques. We verified that the facility and low cost of installation are advantageous features of such techniques and the results obtained by mean of application of the assisted techniques indicate that the alternatives tend to accelerate the process of establishing connectivity of the landscape in locals devoid of connections.

Successes and failures reported in a multiscaled framework constituted by biophilic projects engineered toward environmental recovery

“…Such changes in landscape patterns have caused a strong loss in ecological connectivity, both locally and regionally (Smith, Mota Jr., & Carvalho, ). Nowadays, a lot of forest fragments of several sizes and shapes are spread throughout the region (Silva et al, ).…”

“…The modality of restoration action considered will be determined by the level of degradation of the ecosystem and the origins of degradation (Falk, Palmer, & Zedler, ). Following the steps of the framework (Silva et al, ), four projects were elaborated and implemented aiming to develop natural‐based alternatives for using in works of environmental recovering in several scales. In all of the projects, we intended to execute one‐off intervention.…”

“…A Landsat‐8 image satellite (path/row 220/76, generated on April 9, 2016) was selected and classified by means of the supervised maximum likelihood classification technique (Lillesand, Kiefer, & Chipman, ). Then using this map and a pre‐elaborated mathematical equation (Equation ) determines if a place is suitable to passive or to assisted restoration (Bortoleto et al, ; Silva et al, ). The outcome is a map depicting (a) areas of habitat; (b) areas of nonhabitat, but suitable for passive actions; and (c) areas of nonhabitat and where assisted restoration should be more adequate (Figure ).…”

“…Succinctly, it focuses on human well‐being in the circumstances of the health and well‐being of the linked human–natural system (Turner et al, ). Some established models allow the involvement of partners and permit the progress of didactic, informative actions (Brudvig, ; Silva, Bortoleto, Castelli, Silva, & Mendes, ). This issue is crucial because human perception is vital for the restoration of natural and anthropogenic areas (Biratu & Asmamaw, ).…”

“…For example, Silva et al () proposed a conceptual framework that allows detecting places where interventions of passive restoration might be fruitfully implemented (Figure ). Initially, a local land cover map is elaborated by means of a digital satellite image and image processing techniques, and through this map, the user identifies habitat and nonhabitat sites.…”