Replace non-native species of tree/shrub

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

5%
Certainty

18%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

A combination of fuel reduction (e.g. by burning or understorey removal) and planting of native species could help replace an exotic mid- or understorey with a native one.

Study locations

Key messages

A replicated, controlled study from the USA found that the number of black-chinned hummingbird nests increased at sites with fuel reduction and planting of native species, but that the increase was smaller than at sites without planting.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, controlled study in riparian forest along the Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico, USA, in 2002-2004 (Smith et al. 2009), found an 8% increase in the number of black-chinned hummingbird Archilochus alexandri nests (from 75 to 81) on three sites where native shrubs were planted after fuel reduction measures. Exotic shrubs and woody debris were removed and chipped before herbicide was applied to the root crowns of exotic species. This compared with an 18% increase at four sites with fuel reduction but no planting and a 42% decrease at two sites where debris was burned and no shrubs planted. These results are discussed in more detail in ‘Manually control/remove understorey and midstorey vegetation’ and ‘Use prescribed burning’.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Smith D.M., Finch D.M. & Hawksworth D.L. (2009) Black-chinned hummingbird nest-site selection and nest survival in response to fuel reduction in a southwestern riparian forest. The Condor, 111, 641-652.

Please cite as:

Williams, D.R., Child, M.F., Dicks, L.V., Ockendon, N., Pople, R.G., Showler, D.A., Walsh, J.C., zu Ermgassen, E.K.H.J. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Bird Conservation. Pages 137-281 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Bird Conservation

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