The four chapters in this section focus on restoration planning for species that have unknown recovery potential. This requires setting goals scaled to the needs of the restoration (Allen & Hoekstra 1987), which can range from species-specific autecological requirements, to organization of species assemblages, to landscape-level processes. In addition, means are needed to determine the efficacy of management protocols in meeting the restoration goals. We see contrasts and similarities in planning the recoveries of elements of an extremely decimated Hawaiian flora, two disturbance-adapted plant species, and the woodland caribou. Each of the target species declined because of a broad range of human-caused impacts, including competition from exotic species, disease, disruption of community processes, exploitation, grazing, and predation. The restorationists are challenged not only with reducing ongoing impacts, but also with recovery of small and often non-reproductive populations.

Loope & Medeiros (Chapter 6) address a cascading series of plant recovery problems caused by exotic species in Haleakala National Park. Almost total loss of lower elevation ecosystems has occurred owing to overgrazing by introduced goats and pigs, and invasions continue of fire-adapted, exotic plants and alien insects that threaten native pollinators. When grazing was eliminated to allow recovery of some plant communities, at least two rare Hawaiian plant species, Mariscus hillebrandii and Bidens micrantha, subsequently increased. Recovery for other species, however, is more complex. Plantago pachyphylla has not responded to reduced grazing, while Sisyrinchium has declined owing to competition from an exotic grass.