Large scale ecological restoration requires technical rigor and precise execution. Beyond logistics, plant nurseries, and field operations, restoration results from the capacity to understand the original forest: its history, functions, and possible trajectories. And, above all, on the ability to translate this knowledge into technical decisions that make sense in deeply altered territories.
In this article, based on an interview with our Restoration and Research and Development Manager, Dimitrio Schievenin, you will learn about some of the methods and steps involved in applying this knowledge to Biomas’ ecological restoration processes.
The first step is understanding how the ecosystem to be restored functions
Before any type of intervention, one needs to understand what the reference ecosystem is and how the forest would recover naturally, explains Dimitrio Schievenin. The study of the natural trajectory of the forest is done using specialized literature and field data.
Based on the initial assessment, it’s possible to design interventions that accelerate processes that would otherwise take decades to occur naturally. This is particularly true for very degraded areas that tend to stabilize in states of low biodiversity and limited carbon accumulation.
The decisions that guide the planting processes are determined based on this first assessment. The selection of species and the subsequent management over the years must be focused on a central objective: guaranteeing the predictability necessary to recover the ecosystems and assure carbon capture.
Scientific understanding is transformed, in practice, into clear guidelines for the field. Based on this information, the teams decide on the set of plant species to be used and determine the plan for ecological succession, which is the planting sequence that guarantees the germination, growth, and gradual substitution of pioneer (ground cover) species with varieties that represent the biological diversity of the ecosystem and its long term success.
These choices determine the restoration success by creating more diverse and resilient forests that have a larger capacity to provide ecosystem services, including the storage and maintenance of carbon over time.
With this tactic, recuperation becomes more efficient and generates new knowledge to make large scale operations possible. At Biomas, restoration is fundamentally oriented by science and evidence with clear objectives: maximum biodiversity, maximization of ecosystem services, and maximum carbon sequestration.
Defining the mix of species is one of the most critical steps of restoration
One of the premises of ecological restoration is working with native species to restore ecosystem balance. To define the mixture of species that will be used, the teams must verify which species are in each microregion. At Biomas, the suitability of species to the site is a non-negotiable criterion, and the selection requires careful attention to the differences, even the small ones, in the landscape.
Dimitrio Schievenin emphasizes that the teams also need to guarantee that these species can be cultivated suitably. Production viability is a central part of the decision, since the large-scale restoration requires a large, consistent, and replicable quantity of seeds and seedlings.
With the list of species outlined, the functional criteria come into play. Our Restoration and Research and Development Manager shares that in order to guarantee the initial structure and the longevity of the forest, the species are organized into two big groups, those for ground cover and those for diversity.
The ground cover species, which generally grow quickly, are responsible for creating the first layer of shade, modifying the microclimate, and reducing the advance of invasive grasses.
The second group is composed of slower-growing and long-lived species that need shaded environments created by the ground cover species. These are the species that guarantee the forest’s long term stability and biological diversity.
Species with different function make ecological balance possible
The final mix also incorporates special species chosen for other essential functions. Some contribute directly to carbon accumulation at different phases of forest development. Others fulfill strategic ecological roles.
It’s necessary to include, for example, varieties that can attract animal species that disperse seeds, a process that occurs in a variety of ways. Monkeys and some birds spread seeds while feeding. Tapirs, on the other hand, do so by defecating, generally far from where the food was found. Squirrels and field mice hide seeds for future consumption as a storage strategy, and so on.
Other species are valuable for restoration due to their capacity to enrich the soil by biological nitrogen fixation, a mutualistic process between certain plants and bacterias present in the soil. The plant supplies carbohydrates (sugars) to the bacterias and, in return, the bacteria supply the fixed nitrogen in a way that the plant can utilize, which is essential for plant growth. The species best known for this characteristic are those of the legume family, such as angico and ingá trees.
Regardless of the function, each of these choices follow the same logic: create a forest capable of structuring itself, surviving, and adapting to future challenges without depending on additional human intervention.
At Biomas, monitoring is seen as a process of dialogue with the recovering ecosystem
To guarantee that the forest advances towards its full potential, it is essential to closely monitor the evolution of the restored area. According to the plan, the successional dynamics in which pioneer species gradually give way to the diversity species is monitored and there are milestones that are especially relevant, like the three, five, and ten year marks of the project.
The monitoring process utilizes indicators that clearly reveal the vitality of the system. Together, these elements help identify the rhythm of ecological recomposition:
- The coverage by native vegetation, which shows the shading and the formation of the initial structure;
- The density of the individuals that grow spontaneously, which indicates the forest’s capacity to regenerate on its own;
- The richness of these regenerative species that point out the diversity level that is emerging in the undergrowth.
The fauna is also monitored starting from the first diagnostic, before planting occurs. As the forest recovers, generalist animals typical of degraded environments are expected to give way to more sensitive species associated with mature forests. This progress becomes evident when animals like the tapir, which depend on preserved environments, begin to return.
“Continuous ecological monitoring allows us to identify patterns, respond quickly to challenges, and strengthen the resilience of the forest in the face of climate change” – Dimitrio Schievenin, Restoration and Research and Development Manager at Biomas
In extreme events, like severe droughts, monitoring shows which species are more resilient and offers valuable information for improving future restoration techniques. These are the lessons that strengthen Biomas’ ability to expand results and bring robust solutions to new territories.
Territory as a starting point and science as the pathway: the case of Project Muçununga
Project Muçununga is restoring 1,200 hectares of Atlantic Forest in southern Bahia and is an example of how applied science goes from abstract principles and is transformed into concrete decisions.
Dimitrio Schievenin explains how, within the project territory there are distinct environmental conditions, with variations in humidity, proximity to the coast, types of forest, climate, and soil. This heterogeneity prevents generic solutions and requires precise understanding of the environment before defining the restoration plan.
Thus, knowledge of the area informs the choices best suited for each situation. In regions with a well-defined, intense dry season, for example, species like peroba or jequitibá-rosa respond better, since they are more resistant to periods of low humidity. More humid areas, influenced by coastal breezes, require varieties like sapucaia and juerana-vermelha, which depend on greater water availability.
The Muçununga Project is also an example of how, in our projects, the list of species used increases as our knowledge of the land increases. Dimitrio Schievenin reports that an initial mix included roughly 70 species, but grew larger as new species that perform well or have good ecological potential were identified in the area. As a result, he explains, “we are using more than 85 native species.”
The initiative shows that, in practice, large-scale restoration means calibrating decisions with the largest degree of precision possible, considering all the environmental and ecological variables in the area of interest and transforming technical knowledge into action.
What Project Muçununga teaches us about the role of knowledge in the future of restoration
The Muçununga Project has become one of Biomas’ largest open-air laboratories. The combination of steep slopes, challenging soil, and climate variation in short distances has created complex situations for both the operation and the performance of the plant species.
Restoring an area with these characteristics means dealing with uncertainties and testing solutions under very specific conditions. Each decision made, each species that responds unexpectedly, and every adjustment in management contributes to a technical repertoire that quickly transforms into knowledge applicable to future projects.
One of the most valuable lessons learned is the understanding of how different species behave in extreme environments. For Dimitrio Schievenin, “Muçununga shows us that restoration is also a continuous learning process. Each area that we restore teaches us valuable lessons and climate resilience, cost reduction, and carbon accumulation.”
Science is the only bridge possible between degraded and restored ecosystems
The experience gained in our first project established a comprehensive understanding about the role of science in large scale restoration. Combined with practical knowledge and a commitment to ecosystem resilience, it shows us how to anticipate increasingly critical climate scenarios and understand how forests can persist in a warmer and possibly drier future.
These are the lessons that strengthen Biomas’ ability to expand its results, bring robust solutions to new territories, and trust in ecological restoration as one of the most promising paths to combatting the climate and biodiversity crises.