Ecological restoration training - Online

Site assessments range from basic rapid assessments of the restoration site to complex quantitative and comprehensive evaluations, yet all assessments have several components in common.

This course will introduce you to these assessment components: topography, soil, land use, hydrology, vegetation and biodiversity, which are critical to successful site assessment and clear goal-setting.

This course simulates the initial steps of planning a restoration project, from gathering background information to collecting relevant data, then using the information to formulate restoration goals.

You will learn how to:

• Gather and analyze data needed for assessing the ecological conditions of degraded sites.
• Diagnose the restoration needs of a site prior to restoration.
• Plan meaningful project goals.

It is strongly recommended, but not required, that students complete this course before taking the other courses in the series, as the Site Assessment course lays the groundwork for the subsequent courses.

Many ecological restoration projects rely on revegetation from seed. This course discusses steps for effectively designing and using a seed mix, from choosing appropriate species to preparing the planting site.

This course will cover important steps such as assessing the need to seed, seed biology, designing seed mixes, acquiring and storing seeds, preparing to seed, seeding, and post-seeding management.

You will learn how to:

• Evaluate whether there are seed sources on-site or in the landscape that could contribute to revegetation.
• Design seed mixes so restored vegetation supports ecosystem functions and project goals.
• Obtain adequate supplies of seed and handle it so it stays viable.
• Prepare a site to be sowed.
• Install native seed.
• Manage sites following sowing to promote native plant establishment.

Monitoring is systematically collecting data to determine whether a site is responding in a positive way to the restoration actions. It is necessary for evaluating the effectiveness of restoration actions.

For every restoration project, there are many more things that could be monitored than there are time and resources, so this course considers how to design an efficient and effective monitoring program that yields information helpful for ongoing restoration management decisions and problem-solving.

This course will focus on how to develop project-specific monitoring protocols that take into account site and landscape conditions, restoration goals, and selected methods.

You will learn how to:

• Select parameters for monitoring.
• Develop monitoring protocols.
• Implement monitoring protocols and quality control procedures.
• Effectively summarize data in graphs and tables.
• Analyze monitoring data to make practical decisions.
• Create and maintain records needed for ongoing restoration decision-making.

Ecological restorations of small sites often rely on installing young plants to establish desired natural vegetation. Even large sites, which are typically seeded, may be supplemented with plantings.

This course presents the steps for designing, installing and managing a native species planting project so you can make sound decisions for each of these critical steps.

This course will cover deciding to plant, selecting species, choosing planting stock, creating a planting plan, preparing to plant, planting, and post-planting management.

You will learn how to:

• Evaluate whether there are sources of plants on the site or in the landscape that could contribute to revegetation.
• Determine which species will be best suited for a restoration planting.
• Select and acquire the optimal kinds of planting stock for site conditions and project goals.
• Develop a planting plan.
• Prepare a site to be planted.
• Install large numbers of plants on a site as part of planned events.
• Manage sites following planting to promote vegetation establishment.

Restored and degraded ecosystems may take many years to recover. During that time they need ongoing management because most restorations receive continuous pressure from invasive species. Natural disturbance events like fire, floods or bison grazing no longer happen as they once did.

Techniques used in two broad categories of management strategies are presented in this course: reestablishing natural disturbances and controlling invasive species.

These strategies are useful for managing vegetation in restored ecosystems after initial establishment and in ecosystems that can be restored solely by implementing management practices, for example, restoring natural communities that do not require planting or seeding.

You will learn how to:

• Determine the kinds of natural disturbances that may need to be reestablished on a site and the invasive species that may require management.
• Use nonchemical management techniques to control invasive species and promote a self-regenerating native plant community.
• Use chemical management (herbicides) to control invasive species in natural and restored ecosystems.
• Develop strategies for sites with multiple vegetation challenges that require the use of multiple methods.