Use of eco-technologies for restoration of pine-oak ecosystems: Cost-effectiveness analysis

Abstract

The poor survival rates of reforestation programs is a serious problem for ecosystem restoration. One of the mitigation strategies for increasing survival rates is to improve planting techniques. However, it is not enough to find effective techniques, they must also be cost-effective. In this work, the cost-effectiveness of several ecotechnologies in the reforestation of Pinus pseudostrobus has been evaluated in a temperate forest ecosystem. For this, an experimental site was established in Cumbres de Monterrey National Park, and the survival and growth of the plants were evaluated 12 months after reforestation; profitability was analyzed through a cost-effectiveness analysis. The results show that the most cost-effective ecotechnologies are fog water collector and hydrogel. The information generated by this work can be of great interest to managers in charge of ecosystem restoration projects, especially in areas with water stress and difficult access.