Examples of a Facilitated (Assisted) Regeneration Approach

This approach requires both removal of the cause of the damage and active interventions to stimulate recovery. (It is sometimes erroneously included in 'spontaneous regeneration' or 'passive' restoration). It differs from 'natural regeneration' in that, without active intervention, recovery will not occur.

All restoration interventions - including reintroductions - provide starting points for natural recovery. However it is important to ask prior to the start of a project, 'what can be done to trigger any remaining recovery potential?' Sometimes that may be all that is needed to get the process up and running.

Lessons and Limitations

• Adaptive management is always required when applying disturbances as they can lead to unpredictable responses.
• Adaptive management is also needed where the triggers are in the form of resource provision as undesirable species may also be facilitated.
• Some species may not regenerate and may need reintroduction. Others may regenerate but in too small numbers to maintain genetic diversity.

Reinstating hydrological regimes or water harvesting:

• Murray freshwater wetland rewatering, New South Wales, Australia
• Long Swamp Wetland restoration, freshwater, Victoria, Australia
• Marra Creek waterponding, chenopod shrublands, New South Wales, Australia
• Phoenix Flats, Kooragang saltmarsh, New South Wales, Australia

Installing or promoting habitat features:

• Rocky Creek Dam seed dispersal perches, rainforest, New South Wales, Australia
• Installing brush along contours, on denuded slopes, New South Wales, Australia
• Installing fish hotels, riparian zones, Queensland, Australia
• Installing sand bags, for seagrass recovery, South Australia

Applying fire or physical soil disturbance, followed by weed management:

• York Road Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub , New South Wales, Australia
• Sheldon Forest fire piles, New South Wales, Australia
• Bundjalung National Park Bitou management, New South Wales, Australia
• Lane Cove National Park Bushcare, New South Wales, Australia
• Cowards wetland, New South Wales, Australia

Systematically removing competition (e.g. from weed or pest animals):

• Feral animal control, Shark Bay, Western Australia
• Macquarie Island rabbit eradication, sub-Antarctic
• Rotary Park regeneration project, New South Wales, Australia
• Rocky Creek Dam regeneration reserve, New South Wales, Australia
• Big Scrub Landcare remnant regeneration, New South Wales, Australia
• Numinbar conservation area, Queensland, Australia
• Wampoo Gorge, New South Wales, Australia
• Lord Howe Island restoration (including rodent eradication)