The effectiveness of active restoration following alien clearance in fynbos riparian zones and resilience of treatments to fire

Published source details Pretorius M.R., Esler K.J., Homes P.M & Prins N. (2008) The effectiveness of active restoration following alien clearance in fynbos riparian zones and resilience of treatments to fire. South African Journal of Botany, 74, 517-525.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

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Sow seeds

A controlled study in 1998–2006 in a fynbos site previously invaded by non-native trees in Western Cape, South Africa (Pretorisu et al. 2008) found that sowing seeds of fynbos species increased shrub cover, but did not alter the cover of non-native species, or native forbs. After eight years, cover of shrub species was higher in areas where seeds had been sown (20%) than where seeds had not been sown (2%). However, cover of native forbs and non-native species did not differ between areas that had been seeded and those that had not (no data provided). In 1997 all non-native trees were felled. Subsequently, a wildfire burned the area in 1998. In 1998 seeds of species typical of fynbos were sown in five 50 m2 plots, while in five plots no seeds were sown. Four 1 m2 quadrats were placed in each plot and vegetation cover assessed in 2006.

(Summarised by: Phil Martin)