One of the most important aspects of the Almanda Project is that this book, together with annual updates, will provide a record of every aspect of riparian zone habitat restoration. We will be closely monitoring this restoration over a ten year plus time-frame. We hope to provide, for the first time, a guide for all those undertaking this type of work and at the same time build an audit system which will track our progress, successes and failures. As nature is never predictable, close observation of all stages of the work we hope, will provide new insights into the processes of habitat restoration. Constant monitoring and auditing of our work will assist us in achieving the best outcomes for all native species. We believe that for the long term recovery of degraded ecosystems, comprehensive and pro-active monitoring is the only way of measuring success. It is not good enough to view the eradication of weed species and the return of a few native species as an end in itself. Native plants are only a part of the mix. Every year, for the life of the Project, there will be fully updated ecological reports using the ‘BushRAT’ (Bush Rapid Assessment Technique) method, on areas begun and new reports on those systems prior to their restoration. We also hope to enlist the services of other disciplines of ecosystem studies such as entomologists, (given invertebrates underpin the success or otherwise of most ecosystems), herpetologists, bird and mammal specialists. We hope this book and subsequent updates will be a valuable manual and guide for any individual or group wishing to undertake similar projects.
