We, biologists, already know whether forestry reclamation in sand pits is necessary - it is not! However, new arguments need to be constantly acquired to convince also others, especially miners, foresters and land owners. One of the most common arguments for forestry reclamation in sand pits is that rapid tree planting prevents colonization by invasive tree species present in the close surrounding. Spontaneously developed areas may be prone to invasions of alien species. We know from our experience that even forestry reclamations are not totally devoid of alien species which start to grow rapidly after first thinning that creates gaps for them.
Our new student, Míla Prošková, likes this topic very much and she intends to test resistance of differently aged spontaneous and forestry reclaimed sites to invasive species in the South Bohemian sand pits.
And so, at the time of Advent, when one should reflect on his life and reassess his priorities, the Restoration ecology group established its very first, and hopefully also the last, forestry reclamation!
(Foto: Jiří Migl, Českomoravský štěrk, a.s.)
