Monitoring Revegetation Projects for Biodiversity in Rainforest Landscapes. Toolkit Version 1, Revision 1.

Abstract

Purpose of the toolkit This toolkit has been written to assist landholders, community groups and restoration practitioners monitor the outcomes of revegetation projects for biodiversity in rainforest landscapes. By 'revegetation', we mean a range of on-ground works including the reforestation of cleared land and the enhancement or restoration of existing remnants. The toolkit protocols can also be used to track the recovery of rainforest from disturbance events, such as cyclones. The toolkit was developed from research conducted in tropical and subtropical Australia, with help from restoration practitioners and natural resource managers.

Scope of the toolkit Version 1 of this toolkit includes protocols and proformas to monitor 'basic indicators' of the biodiversity outcomes of revegetation projects. These are aspects of forest structure that provide information on the development of a revegetation project and are correlated with the use of revegetated sites by rainforest wildlife. Users of the toolkit do not require specialist botanical or zoological knowledge, but need to have basic field survey skills.

There are five sections to the toolkit: 1.Background information on monitoring and revegetation. 2.Information on the design of monitoring programs. 3.Proformas for recording the on-ground works done in a revegetation project. 4.Protocols and proformas for monitoring 'basic indicators' of revegetation projects. 5.Information on data management, analysis and evaluation.

Data entry, analysis and evaluation A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet has been written to accompany this version of the toolkit, to help store, analyse and summarise the data collected from monitoring revegetated sites. The spreadsheet includes: •a page of explanatory notes; •pages to record data from monitoring surveys of a revegetated site (a baseline survey and up to eight follow-up surveys); •pages to record data from surveys of (up to five) reference sites; •a page which automatically summarises the data; and •a page which creates graphs of trends in the revegetated site over time, and compares these trends with values recorded in reference sites.

Proformas for keeping records and monitoring projects. A Microsoft Word version is available of the proformas used in the Monitoring Toolkit for (i) keeping records of on-ground works, and (ii) monitoring 'basic indicators'.

Updates from previous versions of the toolkit The initial version of the 'monitoring toolkit' was released in June 2006. Changes in the revised version are mostly to wording, in an attempt to make the protocols and proformas easier to follow. There have been no substantive changes to the monitoring protocols themselves. The accompanying Excel file has also been revised.

For further information, contact: J.Kanowski@griffith.edu.au or C.Catterall@griffith.edu.au