On improving the science and practice of riparian restoration

Many riparian restoration projects begin with admirable ecological goals, such as improving in-stream condition, even if these goals are initially vague or poorly defined. Yet historically, the monitoring of riparian restoration projects in Australia has focussed on documenting the outputs or implementation of restoration activities (e.g. length of fencing along streams), rather than assessing whether the intended ecological goals are achieved. As such, we have little scientific evidence on whether riparian restoration efforts" which represent a considerable investment" have been ecologically effective and upon which to improve these efforts in the future. Only recently has the pressure increased on natural resource agencies to demonstrate the value of their investments in ecological restoration in terms of ecological outcomes. As a result, the emphasis of monitoring is shifting towards rigorous programs that are able to document ecological responses to restoration activities.