Discipline 08 · Water-wise & Restoration
Water-wise & Ecological Restoration
Designing and rebuilding vegetation with native and adapted species for low water use, habitat, erosion control and remediation.
Scope4 work areas
Measured by4 metrics
Standards3 references
Regions16
Palette229 regional entries
What practitioners deliver
- Site assessment: soil, water, fire and weed pressure.
- Species selection by provenance and function.
- Establishment: weed control, irrigation and browsing protection.
- Monitoring: survival, cover and species richness.
What is measured
- Survival rate after the first and second summer (%).
- Canopy or ground cover (%).
- Species richness and weed cover.
- Irrigation demand after establishment (mm/year).
Standards and bodies
Society for Ecological Restoration · USDA NRCS · IUCN
Across 16 regions
| Region | Climate | Taxa | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Europe Cfb · 7–9 | Temperate oceanic | 10 | Region |
| Continental Europe Dfb / Dfa · 4–7 | Humid continental | 5 | Region |
| Nordic & Boreal Dfc / ET · 1–5 | Subarctic and alpine | 10 | Region |
| Mediterranean Csa / CSb · 8–11 | Mediterranean | 14 | Field guide |
| US Northeast Dfb / Dfa · 3–7 | Humid continental | 17 | Region |
| Pacific Northwest Csb · 7–9 | Warm-summer Mediterranean | 14 | Region |
| California & Southwest Csa / BWh / BSh · 5–11 | Mediterranean and arid | 23 | Region |
| US Southeast Cfa · 7–11 | Humid subtropical | 18 | Region |
| Tropical Latin America Af / Am / Aw · 11–13 | Tropical | 13 | Region |
| Andes & South America Cfb / Csb / ETH · 6–10 | Temperate and highland | 17 | Region |
| Africa Aw / BSh / Csa · 9–12 | Tropical savanna, highland and Mediterranean Cape | 17 | Region |
| Middle East BWh / BSh / Csa · 7–11 | Arid and semi-arid | 11 | Region |
| South Asia Am / Aw / Cwa · 8–13 | Monsoon tropical and subtropical | 10 | Region |
| Southeast Asia Af / Am · 11–13 | Equatorial | 5 | Region |
| East Asia Cfa / Dwa / Dfb · 4–10 | Temperate monsoon | 21 | Region |
| Australasia Cfb / Cfa / BWh · 7–11 | Temperate and arid | 24 | Field guide |
FAQ
Native or drought-adapted?
Native species support local food webs; adapted exotics can be more reliable in extreme heat. The honest answer is a mix chosen for function and risk.
How long does a native garden take?
Expect two to three years to close the canopy and three to five to look established; the first summer is irrigation and weed control.
Should I water new natives?
Yes, through the first two summers, deeply and infrequently. Cutting water too early is the most common cause of failure.