Terracing can reduce soil erosion by slowing and collecting surface runoff while providing an environment conducive to plant growth. Bench terraces virtually eliminate the effect of slope caused erosion thereby allowing nutrients to remain in situ without being transported to lower slope positions.
The results from this study provide evidence that transplanting nondormant vegetation islands on a terraced Aspen Parkland site is successful in establishing plant communities and can provide an essential component when reclaiming a relatively barren site.
If these results are repeatable on a broader scale, reclamation using vegetation islands could proceed throughout the growing season rather than be restricted to early spring and late autumn when working conditions are often less than ideal.