What two key rules of ecological restoration were shown by the North Branch project?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

wetland restoration — ecological restoration Wetland restoration along the Târnava Mică (Tîrnava Mică) River in Romania. A former gravel mine (left) was transformed into a functional wetland (right).

The North Branch project in Illinois serves as a significant case study in ecological restoration, illustrating two fundamental rules for successfully returning a habitat to its original state:

Preserve all component species: The first rule is that one must be able to save all the species that originally comprised the ecological community.1
Identify the correct species mix: The second rule is that one must know exactly which species belong in the ecosystem and which do not. Using historical data—such as the 1846 list of plants discovered by the North Branch volunteers—is essential for determining this composition. Without this knowledge, restorers are forced to engage in the constant, labor-intensive cycle of weeding and reseeding.1

By adhering to these principles, the project successfully restored prairie and barren sites that had previously been degraded or abandoned.1