Research into the effectiveness of restoration methods has proven invaluable for addressing the problem of dune degradation in New Zealand. This information has assisted community-led projects in both the design and implementation of initiatives. Working off a sound knowledge base is important for all restoration projects but especially critical for community-based projects where voluntary inputs are high. This knowledge not only improves the likelihood of success from a restoration ecology stand-point but also improves the degree of confidence among participants in what they are trying to do. Implementation of this building block relies largely on professional input into the problems being addressed. In New Zealand there has been considerable research into the success of methods for the restoration of dune ecosystems using indigenous species. This includes aspects such as methods for seed collection, propagation and re-establishment of dune plant species at various sites, and for effective management of restoration sites with regard to threats such as weeds and physical disturbance. Importantly, these studies have identified techniques that are practical and effective for achieving biodiversity goals .
- Funding for research, pilot projects and trials of potentially useful techniques.
- Building in, and supporting monitoring programmes as an integral component of restoration projects. This may assist implementation of those projects and enables others to learn from the results that were obtained and the methods used.
- Providing outreach activities and associated information sharing on aspects of project design that may be useful to other groups.
Learning from the success of previous investments is very useful to decision making to help avoid common mistakes. Examples for dune restoration include trials that have shown high mortalities when attempting to re-establish sand-binding species through direct planting with cuttings, and considerable better results if cuttings are nursery grown beforehand or grown from seed. Other examples include the degree to which herbivore protection can help protect seedlings, and the effectiveness of different methods for reducing human disturbance impacts. Despite the head-start that prior research can provide the decisions are not always easy to make at the local project level, especially where commitment of funds or other resources is required. Taking an adaptive approach can be a useful complementary strategy. For example, where local conditions of the site may not have been extensively researched some trial and error can be a practical way to design and manage a project.