Considering Natural Vegetation Development Processes in Restoration Planning for Western Montana Ecosystems

Revegetation is often part of restoration projects that involve rivers, streams, roads, unstable slopes, mine reclamation, and re-naturalization of agricultural lands. Because vegetation can develop without human intervention, understanding how plant communities develop naturally in different settings can help determine which revegetation methods, if any, are best for a particular restoration project. Some processes are inseparable from plant community development, including alluvial bar development in some river channels, hydroperiod in wetlands, ice and beaver action along rivers, source/transport/deposition zonation in translational landslides, organic matter accumulation in soils, and salt or nutrient accumulation near roads and industrial areas. Considering different vegetation development pathways in the context of these processes may result in restoration plans that rely less heavily on planting large quantities of plants within a short time frame—yet produce more stable, functional plant communities over the long term. This natural revegetation design approach can influence how baseline data is collected, how project objectives are stated, which restoration strategies are used and which metrics are selected to determine project success