Contrasting influences of inundation and land use on the rate of floodplain restoration

This study examined the assisted natural restoration of native vegetation in an Australian floodplain wetland where flows were reinstated and the river was reconnected to the floodplain, following cessation of agricultural cultivation. Extant vegetation was surveyed three times during an inundation event at plots with different land‐use histories. Restoration rate was more influenced by past land use than long‐term inundation frequency and success decreased with antecedent land‐use intensity. Prolonged land‐use history (>3 years cultivation) restricted restoration success. Sites with longer cultivation histories tended to have fewer aquatic species, more terrestrial species and exotic species. For example, amphibious responders with floating leaves were found only in reference plots and less frequently in farmed treatment plots. In this scenario, increased persistence of exotics and dryland species suggested alternative trajectories. Fields with a short land‐use history (1–3 years of clearing and cultivation) resembled undisturbed floodplain communities, consistent with a ‘field of dreams’ hypothesis. Although river–floodplain reconnections can restore wetlands, legacy effects of past land use may limit the pace and outcomes of restoration.Australian Postgraduate AwardAustralian Research Council. Grant Number: DE120102221ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions Australian Research Council Linkage Project. Grant Number: LP088416

Factors Influencing Adults' Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors and the Role of Environmental Schools in Influencing their Communities

The present study revisits a subfield of environmental education: significant life experiences, which studies the influences that shape the development of environmental stewardship. In the present study, we examine the effect of various formative experiences on a group of adults and analyze the role of school, as a formative influence on the parents of the students. By employing factor analysis, we were able to differentiate between groups of variables influencing attitudes and those influencing behavior. Cluster analysis enabled us to differentiate between types of respondents in accordance to their responsiveness to influencing experiences. The results draw attention to (a) the different pathways by which environmental attitudes and behaviors are influenced; (b) the important role of the inner self (“personality”) in organizing and giving meaning to all other formative influences; and (c) the effectiveness of environmental schools in urban communities in Israel, in influencing the behavior of students’ parents

Environmental values and fire hazard of eucalypt plantings

The revegetation of cleared landscapes with woody plants (termed "environmental planting") has the potential to sequester carbon (C), provide habitat, and increase biodiversity and connectivity. These environmental values are potentially offset by an increased fire hazard posed by revegetation. There is a need to understand the influence environmental planting has on landscape fire behavior and to determine how this changes as plantings age. This study examined how environmental values, regenerative capacity, fuel metrics, and potential fire behavior change with time since planting. We assessed 57 sites across the Albury-Wodonga region (New South Wales, Australia). This included a range of environmental planting ages (4-40 yr time since planting), remnants, and pastures. Carbon storage increased with age of planting, with largest C stores found in remnants (105 tC/ha), while habitat complexity plateaued around 20 yr, with no significant difference between moderately aged plantings (14-20 yr), old plantings (>20 yr), and remnants. Modeled rate of fire spread was faster in pastures compared to environmental plantings and remnants. Flame height was slightly higher (0.5-1 m) in pastures than environmental plantings and remnants under a Very High Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI), but this trend reversed under Extreme and Catastrophic conditions with flame heights greatest in environmental plantings and remnants albeit with slower rates of spread. This research highlights the importance of environmental plantings in the landscape in terms of C storage and environmental values and indicates the perceived hazard associated with rate of spread and flame height may not be justified at or less than Very High FFDI. However, at FFDI greater than Very High fire behavior may be significantly enhanced in environmental plantings and remnants. Further consideration needs to be given to the size and design of plantings and the type of species planted to fully develop an understanding of the complexities of fire risk. This study allows land managers to make informed decisions regarding the values and risks associated with revegetation of cleared landscapes with woody plants