Ecosystems donโt work that way. Complex ecological interactions often make restoration timelines and outcomes uncertain. For instance, you might have perfect woodland, high tree and plant diversity and plenty of insects, but specialist woodland birds are still absent. A key take-home from my PhD with the fantastic Woodland Creation and Ecological Networks (WrEN) project team at Stirling University was that full ecosystem recovery can take 100 years or more. In other words, you likely wonโt live to see the results. This can feel discouraging, and it can tempt policymakers to abandon effective strategies when what they really need to do is "hold their nerve".
In our 2020 perspective paper published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, we highlighted the need to develop milestones: Use research and modelling to identify indicator species or habitat structures that suggest progress is going in the right direct direction based on the stage of restoration. You canโt always predict exactly when every species will return, but milestones help you and your stakeholders stay confident in the process.
At Okala, we often work with organisations who come to us with a backlog of five or more years of biodiversity data that's been untouched. With the right tools and expertise, you can cut analyses and reporting down to two or three months, giving you faster insights and a better ability to make adjustments to your restoration project as you go. โ In the end, conservation is an act of discipline - itโs about trusting ecologists, scientists, the data, and the process. Even if you donโt live to see the long-term results, with some skill, discipline and some luck, you can leave a lasting legacy for your organisation and for the planet.
