Removing sources of degradation

Before revegetation or restoration is attempted, the drivers of degradation of vegetation should be identified and eliminated. It is unlikely to achieve restoration goals while degradation continues. Examples of such drivers include (road) construction, mining, overharvesting, overgrazing, eutrophication, pollution, or invasive species. In case the drivers of degradation are temporary and can be planned for, for example during construction works, the project should be adjusted such that initialized restoration actions are not negatively affected by other activities. For example, tracks from heavy vehicles can cause soil compaction and thereby negatively affect the establishment of flower meadows or damage the roots of set-aside trees. Relevant actors such as contractors and machine operators should be informed and educated about where, when, and how restoration efforts will be carried out.

Restoration by natural dynamics and disturbance 

In some cases, natural succession (i.e., the natural change of vegetation species composition over time) is a viable restoration option once disturbing factors have been neutralized. Without a need for active measures, costs associated to this method are usually low. Downsides may be that erosion worsens soil conditions, that natural processes may act slower than desired, that naturally established vegetation may not match the reference state, that non-native species establish before native species do, or that natural revegetation is interpreted as neglect by the public. 

Restoration of natural dynamics

Many ecosystems depend on disturbances on different scales and such dynamics should be considered when establishing the reference state. These disturbances may occur naturally but, in many cases, require active management. An example of a disturbance that acts at a local scale is the death of an individual tree which provides light to understorey vegetation. Forest fires and floods are examples disturbances that typically manifest at a larger scale. Disturbance can also be caused by herbivores such as deer and cattle. In some cases, restoring the natural ecosystem dynamics is sufficient for restoration to achieve the desired ecosystem state.  

Restoration of abiotic conditions 

Abiotic conditions are an important driver of vegetation composition. For vegetation, climate, soil conditions, and hydrology are particularly important. Terrain features such as slopes, depressions, and outcrops should be restored as these drive variation in soil and microclimate. For wetland vegetation, restoring hydrology is an important prerequisite. On-site treatment and improvement of soil may in some cases be possible. In other cases, soil needs to be transported to the restoration site from elsewhere. In case of eutrophication, nutrient rich topsoil may need to be removed. Heterogeneity in landscape features and soil conditions will allow diverse plant communities to co-exist. 

Restoration and establishment of vegetation 

In many cases, active revegetation such as transplantation of patches of vegetation or individual plants is desirable. In some cases, some initial planting is needed to stabilize soil before further revegetation is allowed to occur more naturally. Seeds can be sown directly, or seedlings can be planted out. Seed and seedling should be sourced locally to preserve genetic variation. Some plants may be propagated vegetatively, but such plants are clones and may have lower genetic diversity than desired. The transplantation of entire turfs from intact vegetation to the restoration site may in some cases be an option. When turfs are transplanted, vegetation is likely to survive. The downside is that turf transplants require some logistics and that a hole is left behind at the donor site. Large projects may incorporate trials to establish the most effective method of revegetation.  

Monitoring, maintenance, and an adaptive process 

Monitoring before, during and after restoration is important because it is impossible to determine whether restoration goals have been reached without monitoring. Monitoring should be planned for at project start, so that a baseline condition can be established. An adaptive process, where monitoring drives decision making, is beneficial especially to large-scale or long-term projects. After initial restoration, regular maintenance actions may be required, for example mowing or grazing of wildflower meadows. The length of the monitoring period depends on the vegetation type, but is almost always more than 10 years.