Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use erosion blankets/mats to aid plant establishment One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found that using an erosion control blanket increased the height of two shrub species. One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA did not find an increase in the number of shrub species, but one controlled study in China did find an increase in plant diversity following the use of erosion control blankets. The same study found an increase in plant biomass and cover. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1692https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1692Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:42:07 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add mulch and fertilizer to soil One randomized, controlled study in the USA found that adding mulch and fertilizer did not increase the seedling abundance of seven shrub species. The same study also reported no change in grass cover. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1694https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1694Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:48:55 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add manure to soil One replicated, randomized, controlled study in South Africa found that adding manure to the soil increased plant cover and the number of plant species. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1695https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1695Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:50:48 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Irrigate degraded shrublands One replicated, randomized, controlled study at two sites in USA found that temporary irrigation increased shrub cover. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1696https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1696Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:52:55 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Plant individual plants One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found that planting California sagebrush plants did not increase the cover of native plant species compared to sowing of seeds or a combination of planting and sowing seeds. One replicated, randomized, controlled study in South Africa found that planting Brownanthus pseudoschlichtianus plants increased plant cover, but not the number of plant species. One study in the USA found that a majority of planted plants survived after one year. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1697https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1697Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:55:44 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Sow seeds Five of six studies (including three replicated, randomized, controlled studies, one site comparison study and one controlled study) in the UK, South Africa, and the USA found that sowing seeds of shrubland species increased shrub cover. One of six studies in the UK found no increase in shrub cover. One replicated site comparison in the USA found in sites where seed containing Wyoming big sagebrush was sown the abundance of the plant was higher than in sites where it was not sown. One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found that shrub seedling abundance increased after seeds were sown. One study in the USA found very low germination of hackberry seeds when they were sown. One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found that the community composition of shrublands where seeds were sown was similar to that found in undisturbed shrublands. One randomized, controlled study in the UK found an increase in the cover of heathland plants when seeds were sown. One replicated, randomized, controlled study in South Africa found that sowing seeds increased plant cover. One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found that areas where seeds were sown did not differ significantly in native cover compared to areas where shrubland plants had been planted. One controlled study in the USA found higher plant diversity in areas where seeds were sown by hand than in areas where they were sown using a seed drill. Two of three studies (one of which was a replicated, randomized, controlled study) in the USA found that sowing seeds of shrubland species resulted in an increase in grass cover. One randomized, controlled study in the UK found no changes in the cover of grasses or forbs. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1698https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1698Mon, 23 Oct 2017 11:05:08 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Sow seeds and plant individual plants One replicated, controlled study in the USA found that planting California sagebrush and sowing of seeds did not increase cover of native plant species compared to sowing of seeds, or planting alone. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1700https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1700Mon, 23 Oct 2017 11:14:02 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Spread clippings One randomized, controlled study in the UK found that the addition of shoots and seeds of heathland plants did not increase the abundance of mature plants for half of plant species. One randomized, controlled study in the UK found that the frequency of heather plants was not significantly different in areas where heather clippings had been spread and areas where they were not spread. One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the UK found an increase in the number of heather seedlings, but not of other heathland species. One randomized, controlled study in the UK found that the addition of shoots and seeds increased the number of seedlings for a minority of species. One replicated, randomized, controlled study in South Africa found that plant cover and the number of plant species did not differ significantly between areas where branches had been spread and those where branches had not been spread. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1701https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1701Mon, 23 Oct 2017 11:16:13 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Build bird perches to encourage colonisation by plants One replicated, controlled study in South Africa found that building artificial bird perches increased the number of seeds at two sites, but no shrubs became established at either of these sites. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1702https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1702Mon, 23 Oct 2017 11:24:30 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add fertilizer to soil (alongside planting/seeding) A replicated, controlled study in Iceland found that adding fertilizer and sowing seeds increased cover of shrubs and trees in a majority of cases. The same study showed an increase in vegetation cover in two of three cases. One controlled study in the USA found that adding fertilizer increased the biomass of four-wing saltbush in a majority of cases. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1704https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1704Mon, 23 Oct 2017 11:35:39 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add peat to soil (alongside planting/seeding) One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the UK found that adding peat to soil and sowing seed increased the cover of common heather in the majority of cases, compared to seeding alone. One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the UK found that adding peat to soil and sowing seed increased the density of heather seedlings, and led to larger heather plants than seeding alone, but that no seedlings survived after two years. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1705https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1705Mon, 23 Oct 2017 11:54:26 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add mulch to soil (alongside planting/seeding) A replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found that using mulch did not increase the number of shrubs, or the height of California sagebrush. A randomized, controlled study in South Africa found that applying mulch and sowing seeds increased the number of seedlings, but not their survival. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1706https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1706Mon, 23 Oct 2017 11:59:05 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add mulch and fertilizer to soil (alongside planting/seeding) A randomized, controlled study in the USA found that adding mulch and fertilizer, followed by sowing of seeds increased the abundance of seedlings for a minority of shrub species. The same study found that adding mulch and fertilizer, followed by sowing seeds had no significant effect on grass cover. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1707https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1707Mon, 23 Oct 2017 12:01:19 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add gypsum to soil (alongside planting/seeding) One randomized, controlled study in South Africa found that adding gypsum to soils and sowing seeds increased survival of seedlings for one of two species Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1708https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1708Mon, 23 Oct 2017 12:05:42 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add sulphur to soil (alongside planting/seeding) A randomized, replicated, controlled study in the UK found that adding sulphur to soil alongside sowing seeds did not increase heather cover in a majority of cases. One replicated, controlled study in the UK found that adding sulphur and spreading heathland clippings had mixed effects on cover of common heather, perennial rye-grass, and common bent. One randomized, controlled study in the UK found that adding sulphur to soil alongside planting of heather seedlings increased their survival, though after two years survival was very low. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1710https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1710Mon, 23 Oct 2017 13:17:21 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Strip/disturb topsoil (alongside planting/seeding) Two replicated, controlled studies in the UK found that removal of topsoil and addition seed/clippings increased cover of heathland plants or cover of heather and gorse. One controlled study in the UK found that soil disturbance using a rotovator and spreading clippings of heathland plants (alongside mowing) increased the number of heathland plants. One replicated, controlled study in the UK found that stripping the surface layers of soil and adding seed reduced the cover of perennial rye-grass. One randomized, replicated, paired, controlled study in the UK found that removal of topsoil and addition of the clippings of heathland plants did not alter the cover of annual grasses but led to a decrease in cover of perennial grasses. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1711https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1711Mon, 23 Oct 2017 13:29:32 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Plant seed balls A randomized, replicated, controlled study in the USA found that planting seed balls resulted in lower seedling numbers than sowing seed. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1712https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1712Mon, 23 Oct 2017 13:30:52 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Plant/sow seeds of nurse plants alongside focal plants A randomized, replicated, controlled study in the UK found that sowing seeds of nurse plants and heathland plants did not increase the cover of common heather. One replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found that sowing seeds of nurse plants and California sagebrush seeds together reduced survival of shrubs in more than half of cases. The same study found that California sagebrush biomass was also reduced when its seeds were sown with those of nurse plants. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1713https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1713Mon, 23 Oct 2017 13:44:40 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Plant/seed under established vegetation A replicated, randomized, controlled study in the USA found that sowing seed under established shrubs had mixed effects on blackbrush seedling emergence. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1714https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1714Mon, 23 Oct 2017 13:53:01 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Plant shrubs in clusters A randomized, controlled study in South Africa found that when shrubs were planted in clumps more of them died than when they were planted alone. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1715https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1715Mon, 23 Oct 2017 13:57:53 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Add root associated bacteria/fungi to introduced plants Two controlled studies (one of which was randomized) in Spain found that adding rhizobacteria to soil increased the biomass of shrubs. One of these studies also found an increase in shrub height. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1716https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1716Mon, 23 Oct 2017 14:00:24 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Raise awareness amongst the general public We found no studies that evaluated the effects of raising awareness amongst the general public on shrublands. 'We found no studies’ means that we have not yet found any studies that have directly evaluated this action during our systematic journal and report searches. Therefore we have been unable to assess whether or not the action is effective or has any harmful impacts. Please get in touch if you know of such a study for this action.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1717https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1717Mon, 23 Oct 2017 14:02:19 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide education programmes about shrublands We found no studies that evaluated the effects of providing education programmes on shrublands. 'We found no studies’ means that we have not yet found any studies that have directly evaluated this action during our systematic journal and report searches. Therefore we have been unable to assess whether or not the action is effective or has any harmful impacts. Please get in touch if you know of such a study for this action.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1718https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1718Mon, 23 Oct 2017 14:03:12 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use prescribed burning to control trees One randomized, replicated, controlled, before-and-after trial in the USA found that burning to control trees did not change cover of two of three grass species. One randomized, controlled study in Italy found that prescribed burning to control trees reduced cover of common heather, increased cover of purple moor grass, and had mixed effects on the basal area of trees. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1721https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1721Wed, 22 Nov 2017 12:48:12 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Increase number of livestock and use prescribed burning to control trees One randomized, controlled, before-and-after study in Italy found that using prescribed burning and grazing to reduce tree cover reduced the cover of common heather and the basal area of trees. However, it did not alter the cover of purple moor grass. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1722https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F1722Wed, 22 Nov 2017 14:37:45 +0000
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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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