Strategic monitoring of reintroductions in ecological restoration programmes

Abstract

Abstract It is well recognized that reintroductions have previously suffered from insufficient monitoring, and as a result reintroduction protocols and guidelines now have stringent monitoring requirements. It is important, however, that monitoring is done strategically. To be cost efficient, monitoring must be designed to address key questions relevant to reintroduction success and must be allocated to reintroductions where monitoring will have the greatest value. While the traditional aim of reintroductions was to recover endangered species, there is now a much greater emphasis on reintroduction as part of ecological restoration programmes. This often means that whole suites of species are re-introduced, including common as well as endangered species. We recommend the following approach for strategically monitoring reintroductions in restoration programmes. First, monitoring should be allocated not just to the rarest species, but to focal species chosen based on restoration objectives. Second, monitorin...