4.4 Seabird restoration projects - summary
Seabird restoration projects may occur for a variety of reasons. These include re-establishing populations to historic breeding sites, encouraging breeding at locations recently cleared of invasive species, establishing multiple breeding colonies, preventing extinction, restoring ecosystem function and resilience or to reinstate a sustainable cultural harvest and proactively preparing for the loss of low-lying colonies due to climate change and subsequent sea level rise. The poor conservation status and great diversity of seabirds can make their conservation a priority. Fortunately, many practical, costeffective techniques exist for seabird restoration105.
The role of seabird-driven ecosystem functioning has become better understood over the last fifty years, resulting in a shift from species-specific restoration to a holistic ecosystem-based approach. Seabird restoration can strengthen ecosystem resilience by re-establishing marine-derived nutrient input which is crucial when restoring islands (and often mainland areas as well) to fully functioning ecosystems. The restoration process can take time but ultimately result in long-term ecological benefits for both the seabirds themselves and terrestrial (and adjacent marine) ecosystems. While most restoration projects will have an ecological focus, seabird restoration can present additional cultural, social and economic benefits to communities. Accessible seabird colonies can provide opportunities for education, community engagement and a connection to nature.
Seabird restoration can also benefit communities through ecotourism opportunities, and large active colonies of seabirds (particularly ground nesting seabirds such as albatross, terns and boobies) can provide significant attractions for wildlife tourism. Furthermore, some Pacific communities would like to see seabird populations return to a level whereby sustainable harvest could be reinstated, a practice that creates cultural cohesion and restores cultural traditions.
Seabird restoration projects can also be complex due to social, practical, financial and ecological factors. These complexities need to be considered early in the process when planning a seabird restoration project and will vary depending on (i) what species are being restored, (ii) where, when and how restoration will occur and (iii) who needs to be involved in the partnership. Before any active restoration is carried out, the first steps are to ensure that threats have been removed, the correct permissions have been obtained and that life histories of seabirds have been considered.
Additionally, for successful restoration projects, several factors need to be considered, more than just space and time. These include cultural considerations, species-specific behaviours, habitat requirements and life-history traits, as they influence seabird population recovery and recolonisation of newly available habitat.
Make sure you ask all the pertinent questions, such as “Is it the right breeding habitat and topography? Is there any indication the species bred in the area before? Are there likely to be sufficient food sources available within foraging distance of the species involved? Are there seabirds already breeding in the area that may be active competitors (you don’t want to translocate a species to an area where it will be immediately outcompeted by a more aggressive resident seabird species!)? Is there enough breeding space in the area to create a colony?” The answers to these questions could be the difference between success and failure.
Seabird restoration projects also need to be conducted in an ethical manner (especially translocation projects which rely on removing birds, often endangered species, from existing breeding areas) and designed in a way that maximises success. Follow up monitoring is also critical with clear and definable measures of success using appropriate monitoring techniques. Remember, because seabirds are long-lived and often only start breeding at an age of several years, restoration projects are a serious commitment as these kinds of projects can take decades to come to fruition. Plan for the long term in terms of budget, strategy, methodologies and permitting.
Methods
There are two approaches to seabird restoration: Passive restoration, and active restoration. Which approach is the most viable depends on a range of factors, including:
- Proximity to source colonies
- Habitat quality at restoration site
- Urgency of action (from a conservation viewpoint)
- Species being targeted for restoration
- Sufficient availability of species being targeted (for translocation projects)
- Permitting requirements
- Funding availability to maintain activities for decades
- Expert availability