Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Adopt certification One replicated, site comparison study in Ethiopia found that the risk of deforestation was lower in certified than uncertified forests. One controlled, before-and-after trial in Gabon found that when logging intensity was taken into account although tree damage did not differ, changes in above-ground biomass were smaller in certified than in uncertified forests.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1150https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1150Tue, 17 May 2016 16:23:09 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Improve soil quality after tree planting (excluding applying fertilizer) One of two randomized, replicated, controlled studies in Australia found that different soil enhancers had mixed effects on tree seedling survival and height, but no effect on tree seedling health. The other found that combinations of soil enhancers did not increase seedling survival, height, diameter or health.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1153https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1153Wed, 18 May 2016 15:12:35 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Water seedlings One replicated, randomized, controlled study in Spain found that watering tree seedlings increased survival during a dry summer but only increased the survival of some species during a wet summer, depending on the habitat. Watering increased or had no effect on seedling emergence depending on habitat and water availability.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1154https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1154Wed, 18 May 2016 15:16:42 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Restore wood pastures (e.g. introducing grazing) One replicated paired study in Sweden found that partial harvesting in abandoned wood pastures increased tree seedling density, survival and growth.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1164https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1164Wed, 18 May 2016 15:51:35 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Maintain/create buffer zones One site comparison study in Australia found that a forest edge protected by a planted buffer strip had higher canopy cover and lower stem density, but similar understory species richness to an unbuffered forest edge.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1168https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1168Thu, 19 May 2016 08:58:20 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Reduce the intensity of livestock grazing in forests One replicated study in the UK found that reducing grazing intensity increased the number of tree saplings. One replicated, randomized, controlled study in Greece found that reducing grazing intensity increased understory biomass.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1207https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1207Thu, 19 May 2016 14:24:40 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use summer instead of winter harvesting One replicated study in the USA found no effect of logging season on plant species richness and diversity.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1216https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1216Fri, 20 May 2016 14:06:18 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use herbicides to thin trees One replicated, controlled study in Canada found no effect of using herbicide to thin pine trees on total plant species richness.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1225https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1225Mon, 23 May 2016 10:33:00 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Thin trees by girdling (cutting rings around tree trunks) One before-and-after trial in Canada found that thinning trees by girdling (cutting rings around tree trunks) increased understory plant species richness, diversity and cover.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1226https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1226Mon, 23 May 2016 10:34:52 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use herbicides to control invasive plant species One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found no effect of invasive plant control using herbicide on the total native plant species richness.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1229https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1229Mon, 23 May 2016 10:52:27 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use electric fencing to exclude large native herbivores One controlled study in South Africa found that using electric fencing to exclude elephants and nyalas increased tree density.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1231https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1231Mon, 23 May 2016 11:15:59 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Control rodents One controlled study in New Zealand1 found that rodent control decreased native plant species richness and did not affect total plant species richness.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1232https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1232Mon, 23 May 2016 11:19:19 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Remove burned trees One replicated, controlled study in Israel1 found that removing burned trees increased total plant species richness. One replicated, controlled study in Spain2 found that removal increased the cover and species richness of some plant species.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1237https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1237Fri, 03 Jun 2016 08:52:10 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use selective thinning after restoration planting One replicated, paired sites study in Canada found that selective thinning after restoration planting conifers increased the abundance of herbaceous species and decreased the abundance of trees.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1238https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1238Fri, 03 Jun 2016 09:16:54 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Cover the ground with plastic mats after restoration planting One replicated study in Canada found that covering the ground with plastic mats after restoration planting decreased the cover of herbecous plants and grasses.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1239https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1239Fri, 03 Jun 2016 09:35:17 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Cover the ground using techniques other than plastic mats after restoration planting One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found that covering the ground with mulch after planting increased total plant cover.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1240https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1240Fri, 03 Jun 2016 09:38:37 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Apply herbicides after restoration planting One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found that controlling vegetation using herbicides after restoration planting decreased plant species richness and diversity.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1241https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1241Fri, 03 Jun 2016 09:52:52 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Water plants to preserve dry tropical forest species One replicated, controlled study in Hawaii found that watering plants increased the abundance and biomass of forest plants.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1242https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1242Fri, 03 Jun 2016 09:55:53 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Sow tree seeds One replicated, randomized, controlled, before-and-after study in Brazil found that sowing tree seeds increased the density and species richness of new trees.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1244https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1244Fri, 03 Jun 2016 11:02:33 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Build bird-perches to enhance natural seed dispersal One replicated, randomized, controlled study in Brazil found that building perches for birds increased species richness and abundance of new tree seedlings.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1245https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1245Fri, 03 Jun 2016 11:06:15 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add lime to the soil to increase fertility One replicated, randomized controlled study in the USA found that adding lime increased vegetation cover.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1249https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1249Fri, 03 Jun 2016 12:48:10 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Cover the ground with straw after tree planting One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the Czech Republic found that covering the ground with straw, but not bark or fleece, increased the growth rate of planted trees and shrubs.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1266https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1266Fri, 10 Jun 2016 08:44:29 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use weed mats to protect planted trees One replicated, controlled study in Hong Kong found no effect of using weed mats on thick-leaved oak seedling height.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1267https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1267Fri, 10 Jun 2016 08:53:49 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use shading for planted trees One replicated, controlled study in Panama found that shading increased the survival rate of planted native tree seedlings.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1269https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1269Fri, 10 Jun 2016 09:19:59 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use herbicides to remove invasive plant species One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found no effect of invasive plant control using herbicide on the total native plant species richness.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1314https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1314Fri, 23 Sep 2016 14:49:03 +0100
What Works 2021 cover

What Works in Conservation

What Works in Conservation provides expert assessments of the effectiveness of actions, based on summarised evidence, in synopses. Subjects covered so far include amphibians, birds, mammals, forests, peatland and control of freshwater invasive species. More are in progress.

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