SERNews The Newsletter of the Society for Ecological Restoration International Volume 23 No. 2 ISSN 1535-9859 SER Invited as Observer to

285 West 18th Street, Suite 1 Ramsar STRP for 2009-2012 Tucson, Arizona 85701 USA 001-520-622-5485 voice he Scientific and he Convention on Technical Review Wetlands of Inter- 001-270-626-5485 fax T T [email protected] | www.ser.org Panel (STRP) of the national Importance Ramsar Convention especially as Waterfowl is a subsidiary body Habitat (also known as tasked with providing the Ramsar Convention) scientific and technical was signed in Ramsar, guidance to the Con- Iran, on February 2, 1971, ference of the Parties and came into force on (COP), the Standing December 21, 1975. The Committee, and the Convention provides a Ramsar Secretariat. framework for national ac- GLOBAL SER was nominated tion and international co- RESTORATION and approved to be an Invited Observer at operation for the conservation and wise use NETWORK the COP10 meetings held in Korea in late of wetlands and their resources. Originally 2008. Subsequently, SER participated in the emphasizing the conservation and wise use A project of SER International first STRP meetings of the current trienni- of wetlands primarily to provide a habitat www.GlobalRestorationNetwork.org um held in Gland, Switzerland (March 29 - for waterbirds, the Convention has subse- April 3, 2009) to outline the framework and quently broadened its scope to address all establish working groups for the next three aspects of wetland conservation and wise years. The primary focus of SER’s partici- use, thereby recognizing the importance of pation will be a new thematic work area and wetlands as ecosystems that contribute to priority task entitled Wetland Mitigation, both biodiversity conservation and human Compensation and Restoration to be led by well-being. long-time SER member Kevin Erwin. (continued on next page) SER International World Conference Update

he scientific program is now cal Society of Australia, has selected Tavailable for the upcoming SER the “Top 25″ Australasian Ecological International World Conference on Restoration Projects using parame- Ecological Restoration to be held ters consistent with the SER Primer. August 23 – 27, 2009 in Perth, Aus- These outstanding projects exempli- tralia. Visit http://www.seri2009. fy the restoration efforts underway com.au/pages/scientific.html for in Australia and New Zealand and more details. will hopefully inspire and encourage other practitioners in the region and n other news ahead of the confer- throughout the world. Visit http:// Ience, a panel formed by the journal www.globalrestorationnetwork.org/ Ecological Management & Restora- countries/australianew-zealand/ to tion, with support from the Ecologi- learn more. SERNews 1 SER BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS CHAIR George Gann * | Institute for SER Participates in NRDAR National Workshop Regional Conservation | 305-247-6547 | [email protected] n April 1, 2009, the monitoring program (guid- VICE CHAIR Jim Harris * | Cranfield University | +44 (0) 1234-758067 | OU.S. Department of the ed in large part by the SER [email protected] Interior’s Natural Resource Primer) and the dissemina- TREASURER Suzanne Tuttle * | Fort Worth Damage Assessment and tion of monitoring results Nature Center & Refuge | 817-237-6940 | [email protected] Restoration (NRDAR) Pro- via the Global Restoration SECRETARY Karen Rodriguez * | 219-926- gram hosted its National Network (GRN). Work- 8206 | [email protected] Workshop Open Day at the shop participants were GLOBAL RESTORATION Bureau of Land Manage- given a general introduc- AMBASSADOR ment National Training tion to the GRN and then Keith Bowers | Biohabitats, Inc. | 410- Center in Phoenix, Arizo- learned about the important 554-0156 | [email protected] na. This annual workshop features of the case stud- AT-LARGE brings together all DOI ies database through the REPRESENTATIVES personnel working on NR- presentation of an existent Don Eastman * | University of Victoria | 250-479-8382 | [email protected] DAR issues, and the Open DOI case study on the res- Francisco A. Comin | Instituto Pirenaico Day is held as a means of encouraging toration of the Common Murre colony de Ecologia-CSIC | +34 (9) 7671-6115 | the participation of non-federal stake- at Devil’s Slide Rock in California [email protected] holders and program partners. SER (http://www.globalrestorationnetwork. Lucinda Jackson | Chevron Environmen- was invited to attend this year’s Open org/database/case-study/?id=264). As tal Management Co. | 925-842-3467 | [email protected] Day, which featured panel sessions the database continues to grow, it will Carolina Murcia | Fundación EcoAndina on ecosystem services, restoration serve more and more DOI restoration | +57 (2) 893-0762 | carolinamurcia01@ banking, and restoration monitoring, practitioners as an important tool for gmail.com and included presentations about the making the results of their work avail- Steve Whisenant | Texas A&M University | 979-845-5500 | [email protected] development of an effective restoration able to others in the field. REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES to recover these sites and systems. In ad- AFRICA Oliver Enuoh | African Ecological Ramsar Restoration Network | 234-803-558-9919 continued from page 1 dition, key result areas targeted by 2015 | [email protected] seek to have all parties identify priority ASIA~PACIFIC Kingsley Dixon | Kings Park he Scientific and Technical Review sites for restoration; restoration projects and Botanic Garden | +61 (8) 9480-3637 TPanel of the Ramsar Convention was underway or completed in at least half the | [email protected] established by Resolution 5.5 (Kushiro, Parties as well as new case studies and EUROPE Katalin Török | Institute of Ecol- 1993) as a subsidiary body of the Conven- methods added to Ramsar wetland restora- ogy and Botany of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences | +36 (28) 360122 | kati@ tion to provide scientific and technical tion pages on the website. botanika.hu guidance to the Conference of the Parties, LATIN AMERICA~CARIBBEAN Mauricio the Standing Committee, and the Ramsar he recent STRP meetings were ex- Balensiefer | Universidade Federal do secretariat. In addition to the 12 individual T tremely well-organized allowing for Paraná | [email protected] STRP members, delegates from the five a productive and wide ranging discus- MIDWEST Al Unwin | Niagara College International Organization Partners -- sion on the myriad of themes related to School of Environment & Geomatics | 905- BirdLife International, International Water 641-2252 | [email protected] wetlands. Wetland restoration assumed Management Institute (IWMI), IUCN-The a fairly high profile within the plenary NORTHEAST Jim Thorne | Natural Lands Trust | 610-353-5587 | jthorne@natlands. World Conservation Union, Wetlands In- and attracted a variety of experts in the org ternational, and the World Wide Fund for working group sessions. The task over the PACIFIC NORTHWEST Cara R. Nelson * | Nature International -- represent their orga- next three years is to revise and update the University of Montana | 406-243-6066 | nizations as full members of the Panel. In Ramsar principles and guidance for wet- [email protected] addition, representatives of the 18 subsid- land restoration with SER’s vast network ROCKY MOUNTAINS~GREAT PLAINS iary bodies of other Multilateral Environ- providing critical input into the process. Vivienne Wilson | Golder Associates Ltd. | 403-299-6444 | [email protected] ment Agreements and non-governmental Discussions with the Deputy Secretary organizations and associations specified General, Nick Davidson, have resulted in SOUTHEAST Bobby Keeland | USGS National Wetlands Research Center | 337- in Resolution IX.11 are also invited to a dedicated Ramsar session at the Perth 266-8663 | [email protected] participate as permanent observers during conference and the potential for future * Executive Committee each triennium. collaborations. Nick has also been invited as a keynote speaker to the upcoming SER STAFF ne of Ramsar’s key strategies is to conference in Perth and has been asked EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Amanda Jorgenson Oidentify priority wetlands and wetland to give a short presentation at the annual | 520-622-5485 | [email protected] systems where restoration or rehabilitation SER Board meeting that will take place PROJECT DIRECTOR Sasha Alexander | would be beneficial and yield long-term there. The next STRP meetings (Mid- 520-622-5485 | [email protected] environmental, social, or economic bene- Term Workshop) will be held in Gland on GRN CASE STUDIES COORDINATOR Levi fits, and implement the necessary measures February 15-19, 2010. Wickwire | 520-622-5485 | [email protected] SERNews 2 A View from the Chair By George Gann | SER International Board Chair

Summer is always an exciting time, At the local and Mexico. Together with Parks Canada, and the northern hemisphere summer community level, SER is also playing an instrumental of 2009 is no different. We have hired SER will position role in the production of a new IUCN a new Executive Director, Amanda itself as an im- document “Best Practice Guidelines Jorgenson, to help implement our stra- portant resource for Ecological Restoration in Protect- tegic vision for the future – an ambi- for community- ed Areas” which will be published at tious agenda that includes a number of based, volunteer- the next World Conservation Congress new initiatives such as the Community driven restoration in 2012. We are also forging ahead Restoration Network (CRN) and the projects. The with our efforts to elevate the role of creation of a certification program. It emerging Com- ecological restoration in the Conven- is also a time of transition within the munity Restoration Network (CRN) tion on Biological Diversity. Our SER Board of Directors. In August, is one vehicle that will help with this participation in the latest triennium of following the upcoming World Con- process, providing a one-stop website work within the Ramsar Convention ference on Ecological Restoration in with toolkits, directories, calendar (see above) will contribute to wetland Perth, Australia, I will be stepping of events, funding opportunities and restoration guidelines to be considered down and Jim Harris, of Cranfield volunteer postings. These projects are at the next Conference of the Par- University in England, will assume the growing in both scope and number as ties in the spring of 2012. Ecological reins of Chair of the Board. We are is the enthusiasm of volunteers who restoration will gain notice worldwide, very fortunate to have both Amanda want to make a difference in their lo- and SER will be a leader in its promo- and Jim to guide our work into the cal environment. The CRN builds on tion on the international policy front. future; Jim is an 11-year board veteran the strengths of both the Indigenous and Amanda has run large conserva- People’s Restoration Network and This is a great vision, and one that tion programs in both the U.S. and the Global Restoration Network, and we must accomplish working together. South America, including serving as continues to expand SER’s significant What is amazing is that we have kept Executive Director of the California web resources. On the professional moving forward without an Execu- Native Plant Society. If you are at- side, the final approval for the SER tive Director for nearly a year. This tending the World Conference in Perth certification program is close at hand, was due to a dedicated board, two (and the program looks fantastic!), and we expect the program to be final- hard-working staff members, Sasha please introduce yourself to Amanda, ized for launch in the summer of 2010. Alexander and Levi Wickwire, my Jim, and other staff and board mem- Our journal, Restoration Ecology, will part-time assistant, Kate Samelson, bers. Also, make sure to attend the continue for five more years under the and other key allies including our meeting of the members, where board capable leadership of Editor-in-Chief bookkeeper Victoria Stubbs. It’s been elections will be finalized. Richard Hobbs and Managing Editor an honor. Amanda and Jim, carry on! Sue Yates. As this is my last View from the Yours truly, Chair, I would like to share with the Our outreach to Latin America and membership our vision for the future the Caribbean will continue to grow as George Gann, Chair of the Society – and I use the word we pursue collaborations with na- Society for Ecological “our” since board, staff and members tional and regional networks, leading Restoration International have all contributed to this vision. up to our 2011 World Conference in

“Setbacks and Surprises” Now Welcome in Restoration Ecology

The journal Restoration Ecology has initiated The manuscripts can fit into any of the existing cat- a new section, “Setbacks and Surprises”, for papers egories of paper the journal publishes (opinion pieces, that report the results of restoration projects that did reviews, research papers, etc.), will follow the normal not go as planned—projects that failed to meet the review process, and must conform to the usual stan- original goals or did not meet the goals without con- dards set for the journal. See the Editorial published in siderable changes to the original plans. These “fail- the January issue of Restoration Ecology (17:1) for a ures” (whether partial or total, perceived or real) have more detailed introduction to the new section and the the potential to yield information and insight every bit rationale behind it (http://www3.interscience.wiley. as valuable as that generated by “successful” projects, com/cgi-bin/fulltext/121625456/HTMLSTART). and therefore this new section encourages authors to Direct any questions to Managing Editor, Dr. Susan write about unmet objectives and provide hypotheses Yates ([email protected]). about why the outcomes were not as planned.

SERNews 3 Learning from a Landfill: ecological restoration and education at ’s Natural Area By Justin Howell and Nate Hough-Snee, University of Botanic Gardens on behalf of the ’s Society for Ecological Restoration Student Guild.

Located between ter ’s water the University of Wash- source was lowered and the ington’s 72,500-seat foot- creek was diverted to Seat- ball stadium, a golf driving tle’s sewer system. In 1916 range and acres of surface the United States Army parking lies one of Se- Corps of Engineers lowered attle, Washington’s most three me- unique urban ecosystems, ters to match the water lev- the Union Bay Natural els of Lake Union and the Area. At 73.5 acres, the Puget Sound for navigation Union Bay Natural Area is and commerce. Reclama- Lake Washington’s second tion of the marshy site for largest ‘natural’ ecosystem development was not fea- and one of Seattle’s largest sible with the technologies public green spaces, a mo- of the day, so the newly saic of forest, scrub-shrub, exposed site was used as a grassland, and wetlands landfill by the city of Seattle on a former landfill. The from 1925 until 1966. The Union Bay Natural Area in filling with trash caused drains the last reaches of photo courtesy of the College of Forest Resources Alumni Association subsidence of a large peat two of Seattle’s urban wa- deposit below the marsh, a tersheds, Ravenna and Yesler Creeks, both of which flow driving factor in the formation of wetlands now present south into Lake Washington. A trail network links 35 on the surface of the site. restoration projects that have, among other outcomes, Following landfill use, the UBNA was capped with created early-successional forests and converted a gravel clay from a nearby construction site, graded and seeded parking lot into oak savanna and wetland. Bird watch- with European pasture grasses through 1971, formally be- ers commonly gather to view the diversity of shore birds ginning the UBNA’s life as a novel ecosystem. In1972 the that congregate here throughout the winter, a green island University of Washington assumed ownership and man- among a densely populated urban landscape. Students, agement of the UBNA—managing the capped landfill as faculty and visitors revere the site as a keystone of local a natural area would soon prove to be a daunting task. ecological education, outreach and service. Native riparian deciduous trees, red alder (Alnus rubra) To fully appreciate the value of the Union Bay and black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) colonized Natural Area (commonly referred to as the UBNA), the the wet fringes and subsiding depressions of the landfill, site’s unique setting and history must be considered: A however the densely compacted clay soil used to cap the century ago, the UBNA was a lakeshore emergent marsh landfill was not conducive to the broad reestablishment where Ravenna, Kincaid and Yesler Creeks met Lake of native vegetation. In the absence of native recruitment, Washington. At the time, what is now the UBNA, like invasive species, particularly Himalayan blackberry (Ru- the rest of Lake Washington’s historic shoreline, was en- bus armeniacus) and Scotch broom (Cystisus scoparius), tirely underwater. Forty-years ago, the mature trees and established and thrived until restoration efforts began 20 expansive grasslands present today did not exist, there years later. A 1986 vegetation survey predating restora- was only a large landfill receiving maritime debris and tion found that a majority of the 150 flowering plant spe- Seattle’s public waste. Today the UBNA exists within an cies were non-native (Huang 1988). Invasive species have incredibly dense urban matrix: Seattle has a population historically inhibited the establishment of native vegeta- density of 7,075 people per square mile and 592,800 total tion and continue to be the primary disturbance targeted residents (Washington OFM, 2008). Within the UBNA in ecological restoration activities within the UBNA. though, the most obvious signs of human activity are or- Early in the University’s management of the site, ange flags delineating ecological research plots or blue it became apparent that ecological restoration would be tree tubes where students and volunteers have planted critical to the site’s management as well as an outstanding native trees and shrubs. So how did a freshwater wet- educational opportunity. Inherently, restoration became land transform into landfill and later into the University a primary tool in reaching management goals for the site: of Washington’s flagship laboratory for the research and increase and retain native biodiversity, control invasive teaching of restoration ecology? species, and provide educational and service opportuni- Only through a century of degradation and two ties to students and the public. In 1990 active ecological decades of restoration has the UBNA come to assume its restoration began with manual removal of the invasive present state as a natural area and outdoor classroom. The purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) from Shoveler’s site began shifting towards its current state in 1911 af- Pond, an ephemeral pond on the UBNA’s eastern edge SERNews 4 Union Bay Natural Area continued that had been almost tree plantings. Many of entirely invaded. Loose- the techniques researched strife management was within the UBNA are not completed until the used throughout the re- Washington State De- gion and are taught in partment of Agriculture coursework as a result of and the King County these experimental trials. Noxious Weed Board While restoration employed a biological ecology students and re- control, the Gallerucella searchers have created beetle, a coleopteran ge- a majority of the Union nus that feeds on loose- Bay Natural Area’s res- strife within its native toration sites, the UBNA range. With the intro- is also used as an outdoor duction of the beetle, classroom for an array of Shoveler’s Pond and ad- volunteers, visitors and jacent wetlands shifted non-restoration students. from a loosestrife-domi- Tours of the UBNA are nated state to their cur- photos courtesy of Justin Howell often given to build local rent mixture of sedges, rushes and shrubs. interest in urban ecology while exposing individuals to Since that first effort to restore Shoveler’s Pond, the the concepts and practice of ecological restoration. Dur- UBNA has hosted numerous restoration projects creating ing the 2008-09 academic year alone, the UBNA received forest, wetland and grassland ecotypes with a total area of 593 visitors for guided tours or volunteer work parties, 14.4 acres having been actively restored since 1990. Proj- logging 2000 individual hours. Ideally these tours and ects at the UBNA are commonly collaborations between class field trips build a base of future volunteers who will student groups in one of the University of Washington’s go on to play a critical role in the maintenance of restora- many restoration ecology courses and faculty within the tion projects. University of Washington Botanic Gardens. By linking The Union Bay Natural Area shares a unique his- the adaptive management of the UBNA to ecology and tory with the teaching and practice of ecological restora- design theory, students from across academic disciplines tion at the University of Washington. From an in tact get a firsthand opportunity to apply ecological and res- ecosystem to a waste repository to an outdoor laboratory, toration concepts as they design, build and install eco- the UBNA has changed dramatically and will undoubt- logical restoration projects. These experiences are seen edly continue to do so over time. There are numerous as ‘multiplier’ opportunities in which every restoration goals for the site: to monitor vegetation communities and project on the UBNA is valued not only for its ecologi- assess how succession proceeds within systems, to look cal merit, but also for the educational experience offered at how subsidence alters hydrology across the landscape to students who will then go on to apply their restoration and to continue adaptively managing existing restoration knowledge elsewhere in the world. These experiences projects to ensure project success. Most importantly, the build the foundation of the University of Washington’s UBNA will remain a free and public gateway to ecologi- Restoration Ecology Network (UW-REN), a professional cal restoration for visitors, and continue to train and in- certificate in restoration ecology that has been recognized spire future generations of restoration ecologists and prac- by the journal Science, the University of Washington and titioners. the Society for Ecological Restoration International. Thus far, at least 1500 students have participated in restoration ecology coursework at the UBNA through UW-REN or For more information, including a detailed site history, other courses. management plan and bibliography, see the Union Bay Ecological restoration at the UBNA has long-tar- Natural Area and Shoreline Management Guidelines, 2009: geted the restoration of autogenic processes that allow for http://depts.washington.edu/urbhort/html/plants/ubna.html the establishment of native vegetation and the suppression of invasive species. Dr. Kern Ewing, professor of resto- References: ration ecology at the University of Washington Botanic Gardens, has researched and taught plant and restoration Ewing, Kern. 2009. Union Bay Natural Area and ecology in the UBNA using this philosophy since the ear- Shoreline Management Guidelines, 2009. Draft for ly 1990’s. Dr. Ewing and his collaborators have assessed review, University of Washington, Seattle. restoration outcomes and used experimental trials to test Huang, Chih-Lin. 1988. Distribution and abundance of the efficacy of different regionally common ecological plants on the Montlake Wildlife Area. Ph.D. restoration techniques. These techniques include using Dissertation, University of Washington, Seattle. densely planted willow live-stakes to shade out invasive Washington State Office of Financial Management. 2008. grasses in wetlands, creating mounds to modify micro- April 1st, 2008 population, land area and density by climates and establish diverse grassland communities, cities and towns. and using sheet mulch to increase soil moisture around http://www.ofm.wa.gov/ pop den/default.asp

SERNews 5 New Books & Articles

Payment for Ecosystem Conservation Psychology: Services Understanding and Promoting Edited by Pushpam Kumar Human Care for Nature and Roldan Muradian Susan Clayton and Gene Myers

This book, part of the new This textbook introduces the series Ecological Economics reader to the new and emerging and Human Well-being, brings field of Conservation Psychology, together leading experts to ad- which explores connections be- dress a range of issues related tween the study of human behavior to the valuation of ecosystem and the achievement of conserva- services and the design and tion goals. Although people are performance of compensation often seen primarily as a threat to schemes intended to provide healthy ecosystems and an ob- a cost-effective strategy for services they provide, and three stacle to conservation, humans are improved ecosystem management. fundamental systems approaches to inseparable from natural ecosys- Payment for Ecosystem Services studying wetlands are introduced: tems, and an understanding of how (PES) programs, such as have mesocosms, full-scale experimen- people think about, experience, and been used in the context of carbon tal ecosystems, and mathemati- interact with nature is crucial for sequestration and biodiversity con- cal modeling. Visit http://www. promoting not only environmental servation, are examined not only wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/ sustainability but also human well- as a means of reducing the cost of productCd-047028630X.html being. The book first summarizes managing ecosystem services, but theory and research on human also as a redistributive mechanism Rewilding the West: Restoration cognitive, emotional, and behav- with the potential to improve rural in a Prairie Landscape ioral responses to nature, and then living conditions by reshaping the Richard Manning examines ways to encourage con- dynamic between urban and rural servation-oriented behavior at both populations and acting as a driver Manning offers a vivid, an- the individual and societal levels. of rural development. To read a To learn more, visit http://www. review of this book, visit http:// ecdotally driven account of the American plains from native wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/ www.hindu.com/br/2009/04/28/ productCd-1405176784.html stories/2009042850021400.htm occupation through the unravel- ing of the American enterprise to today. He takes the reader to an Wetland Ecosystems Middle Ground – A Collection of isolated stretch of central Montana Essays by Stephen Pyne William J. Mitsch, James G. along the upper Missouri River Gosselink, Li Zhang, Christopher and peels back the layers of his- In this collection of three essays, J. Anderson tory to reveal how key elements leading fire expert Dr. Stephen J. of the American story—conserva- Pyne surveys modern anthropogen- This new text complements the tion, the New Deal, progressivism, ic fire practices in the Cross Tim- Fourth Edition of Wetlands, Mitsch the yeoman myth, and the idea of bers area of Oklahoma, the Mis- and Gosselink’s comprehensive private property—have collided souri Ozarks, and prairie remnants reference on wetland science, man- with and shaped this incomparable in Illinois. Pyne brings his his- agement and restoration, by pro- landscape. As he tells this story, torical and ecological awareness, viding updated descriptions of the Manning describes a grand vision cultural insights, and distinct liter- hydrology, biogeochemistry and for ecological restoration, currently ary style to an exploration of the biology of the major types of wet- being set in motion, that would “pyric geography” in these areas land ecosystems found throughout establish a prairie preserve larger long ignored by the wildland fire the world (coastal wetlands, fresh- than Yellowstone National Park, community. To read the articles, water marshes, forested swamps flush with wild bison, elk, bears, visit http://www.wildfirelessons. and peatlands). Specific wetland and wolves. Go to http://www. net/AFP.aspx?Page=AFPOverview ecosystem types are examined in ucpress.edu/books/pages/11174. detail, including the ecosystem php

SERNews 6 Members-in-the-News

ASLA Professional Award recipients of this year’s awards was the Fort Worth Nature Center and The American Society of Land- Refuge, managed by long-time SER scape Architects has awarded SER Board member Suzanne Tuttle. The member Steven N. Handel a 2009 FWNCR has seen a number of eco- Professional Award for research system restoration initiatives since conducted over a 15-year period its inception in the 1970s, among to better understand the ecological them prescribed fire, control of inva- processes that define natural habitat sive plant species, prairie restoration restoration in high-stress urban and the reclamation of a gravel pit. landscapes. Handel used a series of The site now offers field research experiments to explore the poten- opportunities and an extensive trail tial for establishing new popula- system providing outdoor recreation tions of native species on degraded activities for the public. Visit http:// urban land and to assess the influ- www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/ ence of the surrounding landscape releases/?req=20090424a to read the on the sustainability of these new entire story. natural communities. His findings To read the entire article, visit suggest that the combination of mod- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/ magazine/7934406.stm#map. Fol- Out into the World of Wildland ern landscape design skills and plant Restoration community ecology has the potential low this link to a detailed case study to yield landscape parcels that pro- of the huarango project: http://www. globalrestorationnetwork.org/data- On April 29, 2009, it was re- vide the ecological services needed ported in the Montana Kaimin, the to support urban communities while base/case-study/?id=228. student daily of the University of offering pragmatic solutions that Montana at Missoula, that the first make ecological restoration a viable Rural Earth Ponds two graduates of the University’s element in urban designed land- newly established wildland resto- On April 15, 2009, the Caledon scapes. To read the full article, visit ration program in the College of Citizen included an abbreviated “res- http://asla.org/2009awards/101.html. Forestry and Conservation were toration and management primer” set to receive their diplomas. Haley for natural and constructed ponds Tree Planting in the Driest Place Wiggins and Zach Betz were the first in rural Ontario written by SER students to successfully complete on Earth member Jean-Marc Daigle. Daigle the program established in large part briefly discusses some of the com- through the efforts of Cara Nelson, A BBC article from April 2009 mon management problems faced by professor of restoration ecology and describes a project led by restoration landowners who want to maintain SER Board member. Read the full ecologist Oliver Whaley of Lon- open water on their properties (e.g. article at http://www.montanakaimin. don’s Kew Gardens to restore the sedimentation, nutrient loading, com/index.php/outdoors/outdoors_ critically imperiled huarango dry for- stagnation) and offers helpful tips article/first_wildland_restoration_ est ecosystem of southwestern Peru. for addressing them. Read the article graduates_head_out/3803, or visit Named for its keystone species, the at http://www.caledoncitizen.com/ http://www.cfc.umt.edu/wildland/ to huarango tree, this forest type lies news/2009/0415/news/037.html. in the northernmost portion of the learn more about the program. Atacama Desert and is poised on the brink of extinction due to long- Lone Star Land Steward Keep Us Posted! standing anthropogenic pressure and In a news release dated April 24, formidable barriers to natural regen- Been working on an interesting 2009, the Texas Parks and Wild- eration--namely, the almost complete project? Been in the news lately? life Department announced this absence of rainfall. Dr. Whaley has Written a book, article, paper? We’ll year’s recipients of its Lone Star worked closely with local communi- be happy to highlight it on our Land Steward Awards. This award ties to promote reforestation efforts Member in the News or Restoration recognizes landowners throughout and has sought to improve steward- Showcase on the SER homepage. the state for excellence in habitat ship through the revival of cultural Just send your materials to Levi management and wildlife conser- values associated with the huarango Wickwire ([email protected]). Keep your vation on their lands. Among the tree and its traditional food products. fellow members in the loop. SERNews 7