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Step 1: Identify Potential Locations - Project Template

Part of: Plan Section (Vision → Plan → Reality)
Type: Template/Playbook for Small Plot Restoration
Status: Template - Customize for Your Project

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Purpose​

Conduct desktop research to identify promising regions and sites that match restoration goals and project requirements.

This is a template. Customize search criteria, geographic focus, and evaluation factors based on your specific project goals, location, and constraints.

🎯 Non-Negotiables (Science Consensus)​

These must be followed - they are based on scientific consensus:

  1. Site Assessment Required: Before selecting a site, a comprehensive assessment must be conducted. You cannot determine site suitability without proper evaluation.

  2. Legal Compliance: All sites must comply with local, regional, and national land use regulations. Sites that cannot be legally used for restoration must be excluded.

  3. Contamination Assessment: Sites with contamination that cannot be safely managed must be avoided or contamination must be addressed before restoration begins.

  4. Water Availability: Adequate water (rainfall, groundwater, or managed systems) must be available or feasible to provide for restoration success.

  5. Native Ecosystem Potential: Sites must have potential to support native ecosystems. Sites where native restoration is ecologically impossible should be excluded.

🔀 Options & Pathways​

When to use: Flexible on location, want to find best site regardless of geography, exploring multiple regions

Approach:

  • Search across multiple regions or countries
  • Compare different geographic options
  • Evaluate based on restoration potential
  • Consider relocation if needed

Pros:

  • Find best restoration opportunities
  • Compare different contexts
  • May find better deals
  • More options

Cons:

  • More research required
  • May be far from team base
  • Less local knowledge
  • More complex logistics

Pathway B: Local/Regional Focus​

When to use: Want to stay local, have local connections, want to work in familiar area, limited travel ability

Approach:

  • Focus search on specific region
  • Use local knowledge and connections
  • Prioritize accessibility
  • Build on existing relationships

Pros:

  • Leverage local knowledge
  • Easier logistics
  • Existing relationships
  • Lower travel costs

Cons:

  • Fewer options
  • May miss better opportunities
  • Limited by local constraints
  • May have higher land costs locally

When to use: Open to opportunities, flexible on criteria, want to act on good opportunities quickly

Approach:

  • Monitor for opportunities (land sales, donations, partnerships)
  • Evaluate opportunities as they arise
  • Flexible criteria
  • Quick decision-making

Pros:

  • Can act on good opportunities
  • May find unexpected deals
  • Flexible approach
  • Can move quickly

Cons:

  • Less systematic
  • May miss better options
  • Reactive rather than proactive
  • May need to evaluate quickly

When to use: Have specific criteria, know what you want, have clear priorities

Approach:

  • Define specific search criteria
  • Systematic search using criteria
  • Evaluate all options against criteria
  • Select best match

Pros:

  • Most systematic
  • Clear decision-making
  • Focused search
  • Efficient process

Cons:

  • May miss good opportunities
  • Rigid criteria
  • May take longer
  • Less flexible

📋 Implementation Steps​

Step 1: Define Search Criteria​

Climate:

  • Temperature ranges and extremes
  • Annual rainfall and seasonal patterns
  • Growing season length
  • Climate change projections
  • Drought and extreme weather patterns

Geography:

  • Target regions or countries
  • Proximity to team base (if relevant)
  • Accessibility requirements
  • Proximity to existing natural areas
  • Watershed or landscape context

Degradation Type:

  • Former agricultural land
  • Depleted forest areas
  • Post-industrial sites
  • Eroded or compacted soil
  • Areas with reduced biodiversity

Size:

  • Minimum and maximum area
  • Scalability potential
  • Manageability with available resources

Other Factors:

  • Legal/regulatory context
  • Community context
  • Cost constraints
  • Timeline requirements

Step 2: Use Mapping Tools​

Resources:

  • Google Earth / satellite imagery
  • Climate atlases and projections
  • Topographic and land use data
  • Protected area databases
  • Forestry agency maps
  • Agricultural land registries
  • Real estate listings

Step 3: Identify Candidate Regions​

Create list of potential regions based on:

  • Environmental match to criteria
  • Geographic distribution
  • Known land degradation issues
  • Existing conservation interest
  • Land availability and affordability
  • Accessibility

Step 4: Research Each Region​

Environmental:

  • Native ecosystems
  • Historical ecology
  • Current state of degradation
  • Existing protected areas nearby
  • Water bodies and watershed health
  • Climate and weather patterns

Social:

  • Community context
  • Local support for restoration
  • Potential partnerships
  • Cultural considerations

Economic:

  • Land prices
  • Restoration costs
  • Funding opportunities
  • Economic context

Legal:

  • Land use regulations
  • Environmental permits required
  • Protected area designations
  • Water rights

Step 5: Create Initial Shortlist​

Document for Each Candidate:

  • Location and coordinates
  • Size and characteristics
  • Key advantages
  • Key challenges
  • Initial suitability rating
  • Next steps needed

💡 Customization Notes​

When using this template for your project:

  1. Geographic Focus: Adapt to your specific region, country, or geographic constraints

  2. Climate Criteria: Adjust for your target climate and ecosystem type

  3. Size Requirements: Define based on your project scale and resources

  4. Accessibility: Consider your team's location and travel capabilities

  5. Budget: Factor in land acquisition costs and restoration investment needs

  6. Local Knowledge: Engage local experts, real estate agents, and community members

Remember: This is a template. Your actual project will have specific geographic, financial, and logistical constraints that make it unique.

Next Steps​

Once potential locations are identified: → Step 2: Evaluate Land Condition

Remember: The right site is the foundation of restoration success. Take time to find the best match.

This is a template. Customize it for your project.