National standards for the practice of ecological restoration in Australia

The Society for Ecological Restoration (SERA) is an independent, nonprofit ecological restoration organization that connects the restoration community (industry, government, and practitioners) across the Australasian region. It is a regional chapter of the peak international body for restoration, the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) (www.ser.org). Contributors. This document was prepared by the SERA Standards Reference Group: Kingsley Dixon (Chair and co-editor), Tein McDonald (Co-editor), Justin Jonson (Co-editor), David Lamb, David Freudenberger, Peter Erskine, and Vern Newton; delegates of the project's 12 Advisor and Partner organizations: James Fitzsimons, Ben Carr, Simon Branigan (The Nature Conservancy), Scott Meier, Jen Ford (Australian Association of Bush Regenerators), Zoe Metherill (Australian Institute of Landscape Architects), Anne Cochrane, Martin Driver (Australian Network for Plant Conservation), Lucy Sutherland, Peter Cuneo, David Merritt (Australian Seed Bank Partnership), Jim Radford, Angela Sanders, Matt Appleby (Bush Heritage Australia), Keith Bradby, Paula Deegan (Gondwana Link), Paul Gibson-Roy, Bindi Vanzella (Greening Australia), Brian Bainbridge (Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association), Amelia Hurren (Trees for Life), Nathan Wong, Robyn Edwards (Trust for Nature Victoria), Louise Duff, Hanna Kogelman, and Timothy Mouton (WetlandCare Australia). We acknowledge the contributions of many agencies, researchers, industry bodies, contractors, and individuals whose comments on earlier versions improved the relevance and rigor of the Standards. While these people and organizations are too many to mention by name we particularly acknowledge the following people who contributed substantial information on genetics or environmental change: Andre Clewell, Linda Broadhurst, Nola Hancock, Lesley Hughes, Suzanne Prober, Margaret Byrne, Martin Breed, Andy Lowe, Nick Gellie, Siegy Krauss, Maurizio Rossetto, Ary Hoffman, Rebecca Jordan, Nigel Tucker, Trevor Booth and George Gann. Andre Clewell additionally contributed inspiration and ideas that led to the attributes list and recovery wheel shown in Figs 2 and 5; and the final draft was further improved by valuable comments from George Gann and Andre Clewell. This Special Issue is sponsored by Curtin University and The University of Western Australia. MINISTER'S FOREWORD Australia is a country gifted with outstanding landscapes, unique and productive ecosystems, and thousands of species that occur nowhere else on Earth. These places, plants, animals, and systems are a core part of what it means to be Australian, they define us, and we all have a role to play in securing the future of our environment. There are many parts of Australia that have become degraded and this has severe consequences for our quality of life and the natural values of this country. The Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia and its partners have taken a bold step to help ensure these areas, from urban bushland to the outback, can be restored using sound stewardship and the best possible science. The Society has produced the world's first set of standards for restoration practice: National Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration in Australia. Australian Government initiatives, such as the Green Army, 20 Million Trees, and the National Landcare Programme, ensure we are working better with, and investing in, natural resource management groups, industry, farmers, and local communities to support the protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of Australia's natural environment. Australia's Threatened Species Strategy also sets out the Government's commitment to reduce threats to our plants and animals, create and enhance safe havens and new habitat, improve the quality of existing habitat, and improve recovery practices including through the use of national recovery plans and conservation advices. The Standards are a blueprint to ensure communities across Australia succeed in delivering sound environmental benefits. The Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia and its partners are to be commended for delivering this world-first initiative that offers a way to change the face of ecological restoration in a positive and enduring way for all Australians. Supporting the recovery of our landscape requires a coordinated team approach and these Standards allow all Australians to contribute to rebuilding our wonderful natural heritage. This land is ours to protect and we all have a role to play. The Hon Greg Hunt MP Minister for the Environment Government of Australia The contemporary call for restoration and rehabilitation comes at a critical point in our planet's history where human influence is all pervasive. Australia's long and relatively uninterrupted evolutionary past means the continent possesses ancient soils and exceptionally diverse and unique biota—yet its terrestrial and marine ecosystems carry a more recent legacy of extensive and continuing environmental degradation, particularly in urban, industrial, and production landscapes and aquatic environments. Anthropogenic climate change is superimposing further pressure on ecosystems, whose vulnerability to climate change is exacerbated by other causal factors including land clearing, overharvesting, fragmentation, inappropriate management, disease, and invasive species. Degradation is so severe in most cases that it will not be overcome without active and ecologically appropriate intervention including mitigation of these causal factors and of The of ecological restoration and rehabilitation to role from where we are the of to where we as and of It is in this that the National Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration in Australia has prepared by the Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia (SERA) in with its 12 Partner and all of are to conservation management of Australia's ecological This document the and of ecological restoration and its with other of environmental The Standards the restoration and and the to and a restoration to the of its The Standards are can be of from community to industry or SERA and its have produced these Standards for by industry, and land and of at all of to the of restoration and rehabilitation across all The document a blueprint of and the that will as as organizations in to and ecologically appropriate environmental in all land and ecosystems of Australia. Ecological restoration is the of the recovery of an that has or These National Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration in Australia the of ecological restoration by the world's ecological restoration the Society for Ecological Restoration The Standards that the can be to not a the also the the restored This of the to the and at to the as that all that to recovery to an appropriate local can be ecological restoration of the of to that recovery is as the all attributes of the of all the The restored can be the attributes are on a to of the without further the of the restoration management be as a of The and the of ecological restoration are the restoration are from the these can the restoration where are appropriate can help to at on a local to the of recovery are rehabilitation as in is and where ecological or and is the that can be The Standards can be to rehabilitation to that are on an appropriate local are by the Standards. The of ecological restoration is of conservation, and There is a that local ecosystems are of and are in and While ecosystems is to our natural is not are that we to a in the and of ecosystems through conservation with environmental Ecological restoration the and best conservation for all ecosystems at restoration to not for and improve the of ecosystems also to the to This and a of restoration The of ecological restoration is in Australia and the for this is across and marine and agencies, community groups, and individuals to in the of from are to restoration as part of for While have the from of to a of appropriate or or inappropriate or be with improved and that and ecological restoration, the on Ecological Restoration in Clewell and the for of These to the and standards a is to be as an ecological restoration and to the to are to be as ecological Australian Standards are also to more information to Australian and from ecological restoration the from a continent in unique species and ecosystems of and ecological The Standards list the that best ecological restoration and the to and restoration to of The Standards are to Australian terrestrial or and or or can be by or organization to help and The Standards will be or on a as are to be in and with more and standards that or are to be prepared for a of restoration or a are to a for and ecological restoration, particularly at a of environmental Ecological restoration is on an appropriate local of ecological restoration is the of an appropriate to and a for and The can be and or a from and and It local plants, and other of the The also species from that have to a climate of in the local is regional information can help of local a of the and and and of the to be restored on the The also of that be of the or local or are by human and of these in local ecosystems in cases where environmental change has requires of natural and and cases where environmental change has to the and the be an appropriate be to an better to the where has from to or be or where has produced a This approach has in the past or is more a be ecological restoration or rehabilitation on a of a local the of the and of for or to an not be restoration or rehabilitation it to the of a is to be rehabilitation restoration where change to an is contemporary and with a or urban be the best be rehabilitation to the ecological with as as possible to the and climate climate means that all local ecosystems are to be at in the in that are to ecosystems will be many and where in other ecosystems, species have a to by or that are of change is as an pressure that requires and mitigation of its mitigation that to be by the of with of this change is and part of the environmental to species to or be to be by the of climate change on species and ecosystems so that ecosystems and restoration can be as in or are to species at an can be improved by that the restoration a of the other of be to the cases where the climate of the species is to as a of climate more diverse of the species from other parts of a is at in landscapes or aquatic where is in to a of to for by and diverse of the local species in that and is where all threats ecosystems are the final the role of restoration is to not a human to ecosystems on of recovery so that species to and The Standards with restoration on local ecosystems, be to these in the of or these local ecosystems, as by sound and is a to the that is the of the restoration This the and attributes the restored can be to have Australia's and marine many or The ecosystems are as for restoration natural and the that ecosystems are and and including in to environmental we use existing and recent with sound and of and future environmental to help or have or are a local more ecologically appropriate to the be as a in a is not an to an at point in to for local species to and to and of a is to also recovery is by the of and of the by the of appropriate and or of the recovery is to of recovery are to in a and or further are to to Restoration will be by of and species an of that a to from or as long as are in and to the of the species. This means that where are where and for recovery can occur without in of at intervention is to are or recovery or are not of restoration and intervention are to be These of the and of the or species or ecological to recovery in management active will be to for of for natural recovery be to or are This is to is also to in the of the of recovery where the is the that can be by investing where and for is of attributes is by and restoration will have and improved of the restoration and are and These can be to management Reference ecosystems the terrestrial or aquatic that is the of the restoration This the and attributes the restored can be to have The Standards list the attributes from of the of species community and These attributes in can be to a that and industry to restoration and the of parts of a to the of appropriate and use of natural or restoration of is to for the natural of a species or other and to use in can be on for where natural or recovery is or not are by species to the can that species out of an earlier such species in an where a natural or approach is species all or species without the for of plants or also be where requires of can be where is a of across a parts of a a natural an or or as to in this way will ensure of the restoration and the in a restored is to have the attributes are on a in the without further other and that the recovery be and to natural will a of more that in and to the These have in and will that will have and with attributes are to help these and are as a of the and recovery is the of ecological restoration long of a as an ecological restoration is not by the of the by the to recovery to a cases this be in relatively in other restoration be and long This can be has not for recovery to restoration or are not to overcome recovery from the help the Standards a or for and of recovery This is in and more to the attributes of ecological restoration, in It is to have a of such as and to better so that are to the While is and many will to use the Standards the of the Standards for the Practice of It to of and to be and be to attributes of the This is by the use of The of a can be as the community to the restoration is and will a of the other of recovery on an appropriate local the to all ecological restoration that for recovery in the long on an appropriate local are better to as rehabilitation rehabilitation the to the to rehabilitation are and to of in the Restoration and are and and particularly where from local is to restoration This be by from and science. Ecological restoration is a that of and with by can also be restoration new to management and valuable for the natural is not the of it is a approach to on and to a our to from restoration and be by be will help for restoration to and for future of restoration and is for ecological restoration and the and to as as possible from all to and is in a of to support the of the of ecological This is particularly with to an is and what be the critical to an to its recovery with and to There is also an for to with the of a or to climate is a be to the of to improve that is improve the of a to climate can help overcome what can to particularly for where These attributes of and and quality of cases of restoration, the of to support a restoration be at the or a restoration be to such is appropriate and to the to in to a restoration it be appropriate to the restoration point to a for that as as possible and to are critical to ecological restoration Restoration is out to not conservation values also including these particularly a and its a restoration not the support for and to to ecosystems and to ecosystems are without human positive or are to the and of a local management that have long to or from can ecosystems or to This means that values and of positive or will the future of and ecosystems by of the and positive of and by all in to ensure that ecosystems and The for restoration are that restoration and to and with who or or a to be as as with who have a in the or This to occur at the of and a restoration will a restoration be more and also this with the the of best to local ecosystems and and is best by in or a positive in Restoration has a to and in many This is particularly in or where other and are or are in and by who are to or for is prepared to community restoration can to and create improved including community and and the of restoration to are of a restoration and to be and the or This is to be with more by and of and by of who have the in the future of an and have and Restoration to appropriate of and to improve the of the restoration The following and are for ecological restoration and The and of the out as and of to the of and of the using a of to are to the to Restoration for and by will be and or or is management or that what an appropriate will be terrestrial and aquatic to across the many and communities have and to and improve the way with in a and Ecological restoration is the appropriate means of in natural it is and of production and urban many have and extensive past and the and be of or This can ecological restoration or in such the and of be as environmental management in production and urban as are critical to the of all ecological restoration and as ecosystems are by we and substantial in the ecological of urban and production are to reduce on and securing rehabilitation and ecological It can be to these on a of environmental The point that where the is is the point where an appropriate local is as a and is an for the to be restored in the long mitigation and rehabilitation a for in and not to the of landscape and are in the improved management of ecosystems, the is restoration, or is the of of on degraded where restoration is not the to of and including support of rehabilitation is the and best possible at a and an in to the it can and for species. rehabilitation can play a ecological role in the of ecosystems and species to environmental change particularly in the natural and rehabilitation can be to ecological best in rehabilitation in ecological has from or a of industry, government, and community the industry, urban and urban and The Standards to all industry, government, and community to to the of ecological restoration appropriate and where not to rehabilitation to the possible recovery to of on of a of in rehabilitation is with comments on the to ecological restoration is also be in the industry will the of and for a will the of ecological restoration or a of The is on a of particularly the of the to the of on are to what be as a rehabilitation to the of the to at its not an improved are to what be as ecological restoration, with many and to this is in natural areas, the of ecological restoration is by as in the with or is an that rehabilitation recovery to the the to at a recovery on landscapes, is an that rehabilitation a and ecologically and on natural systems as in this for production or for production and can substantial for the conservation of ecological restoration are to the ecosystems of local ecosystems have also shown to of as to of will help to of to climate using local species and to natural be to a recovery using the natural as a this is not as a recovery as be the are for the be in a that and has on the natural and not for further recovery it is possible in the of Australia with many and substantial recent many have and on and in particularly through Landcare and with from through regional natural resource management The of of this is to or to other or in are to ecological restoration and have or recovery on a of particularly have recovery and or not be to further to resource and the of causal factors including the can be ecological restoration or rehabilitation on the or without support from an can the commitment to contribute land for to allow recovery in the to long the Landcare groups, regional and are to use the ecological restoration Standards to improve at rehabilitation and restoration to the particularly through improved and of more and management Restoration and rehabilitation of and marine is in more is protect aquatic and and improve for conservation and and and values that these restoration and rehabilitation has including the to reduce from terrestrial terrestrial and aquatic will ensure that the restoration and rehabilitation from the terrestrial can be to and and restoration not all aquatic ecosystems are and and many aquatic species and ecosystems can have This can recovery with of ecologically species that have to in of industry and a of recovery be possible to the of and the of such as and has for ecological restoration and including through to the of by the restoration has in and to at other rehabilitation is restoration is possible in or to natural areas, with the of on by of recovery is to be in landscapes including can natural and and for ecological restoration and particularly for at the and and many thousands of community and across in the of and ecological restoration to these areas, by rehabilitation of and and can also and for and can be to local species to enhance the of bushland from or restoration urban areas, it is that such is values and as of a be a in support from individuals and communities for at the local and in to of environmental urban bushland are to restoration and at or this is not possible where and can that enhance conservation genetics and rehabilitation to at 2 recovery is is the of the to the particularly in to for conservation of production and that are ecologically Society and a of community support an to reduce of this the environment. The Standards to this an in that conservation and is an and substantial of these to the conservation of is of the of industry and on by and production and have recent by agencies, industry groups, and to reduce the of and the quality of Australia's and These are to and that is ecologically and in the long The most valuable contributions to conservation have from natural clearing, fragmentation, the of plants and animals, and of in and through and improved The and by all Australians the to our can be and in mitigation and the the for ecological the the that industry can mitigation and rehabilitation can the conservation of natural by for and the whose production has a ecological and in and can also have a or positive ecosystems through we other our of and invasive with natural to improve these practices can not restoration also create a of ecological restoration threats and to be by These are and climate of on The of to a ensure local is has by restoration the of to the restoration is that local is not as as many many that a occur from to of on the species and its in a are at of of a species can be for species. to and in it is best to from This means that in landscapes where are and more from and will be to to This be in regional production areas, to from of Australian ecosystems that many species have of climate climate change climate change is a species will be by and and and terrestrial will be in to and also be by or its consequences such as and species will be at where is nowhere for to as climate that a of local to species have will change we the and of that ecosystems face a of species has we that species be from will new areas, local species We also that the of climate change will be particularly with of species have to as as has from and of past environments. an be to its by such as its or and in many on a for or in on and the of the Species that have a and whose have many in are to have a of to the new or as climate species with and that occur in or or that have through land or for be to or in to climate change for restoration and rehabilitation and are to the of diverse to use in in to enhance a where species and are to have a to of to enhance are to be where landscapes or to are to be This means the local has to play a role in it is to including at a of of the species from a a with a climate to that is for the is to of these new and it is that of will be are and for and restoration in such will to a of on also for improved and The climate in a species can be to as its climate change this climate is to from the in the species where become further or to This means that the species be from the more of the and more help to as or its or to as is to change in it is that the of climate will be more for in to genetics are to help restoration what be at the restoration are to out of where ecosystems are to be by climate are to with to a better of of species to and climate change and to the of a of to the of in restoration can be by a of and is for This is the of species in the and of are also are also for the species in the of will be to to occur at in the of the most of these is the of Australia can help the natural of a species and it have the to the to occur climate change are on the of these can be is in Booth to restoration through and climate of such be a management that the of and in a by It also at a to to be for restoration and climate science. to in that it is to be of the that will species will to climate change in and at the is way to and are not the of and factors or not be by a also have in the of a species. While will be a approach in the restoration the use of species from more and where the of from a with to the to improve for natural it be Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia (SERA)