Johnny Wilson - Restoration Research

As undergraduate and early graduate student (2001-2004) I was research assistant for the Conservation Ecology Research Unit (CERU) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. I was specifically involved in the coastal dune forest restoration program. These forests are situated on mineral-rich (rutile, ilmenite, zircon) coastal dunes in Northern KwaZulu Natal (South Africa. Extraction of the minerals, done by Richardsbay Minerals (RBM), is an invasive process, but for almost 30 years now RBM has allowed the forests to regenerate post mining. This chronosequence provide an ideal opportunity to gain an understanding into the ecology and community development of natural systems post disturbance. My four-year involvement in the project consisted of field research in the following areas: (1) ecological monitoring, (2) forest community convergence theory, (3) birds as seed dispersal agents for dune forest trees, (4) re-establishment of bird populations and (5) millipede community structure and composition as an indicator of the success of dune forest rehabilitation. (see the CERU links for more information)