Cut trees and remove tree seedlings

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

62%
Certainty

20%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

This section considers the cutting of trees combined with removal of tree seedlings. The cutting of trees may reduce their abundance while the removal of seedlings of tree species may help to limit any subsequent population increases.

Study locations

Key messages

A controlled, before-and-after study in South Africa found that cutting orange wattle trees and removing seedlings of the same species increased plant diversity and shrub cover.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A controlled, before-and-after study in 2013-2014 in a fynbos site in Cape Town, South Africa (Krupek et al. 2016) found that cutting of invasive orange wattle Acacia saligna trees, followed by removal of the species’ seedlings increased plant diversity and shrub cover. Plant species diversity was higher in areas where orange wattle trees were cut and had seedlings removed than areas where no cutting or seedling removal had been carried out (data as model results). Cutting and removal of seedlings also led to higher shrub cover (10% cover) compared to areas that had not been cut or had seedlings removed (5% cover). In April 2013 orange wattle saplings were cut using loppers and seedlings removed by hand in ten 25 m² plots, while another 10 plots were left uncut. The cover of plant species was assessed using 1 m² quadrats placed inside each plot.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Krupek A, Gaertner M., Holmes P.M. & Elser K.J. (2016) Assessment of post-burn removal methods for Acacia saligna in Cape Flats Sand Fynbos, with consideration of indigenous plant recovery. South African Journal of Botany, 105, 211-217.

Please cite as:

Martin, P.A., Rocha, R., Smith, R.K. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Shrubland and Heathland Conservation. Pages 483-525 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Shrubland and Heathland Conservation

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