Coastal Services Center

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For the Expert: National Review of Innovative and Successful Coastal Habitat Restoration

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< Adaptive Management | Community Involvement and Education >

Dissemination of Information

Often in the past information from restoration projects has not been widely distributed. In a review of mangrove rehabilitation projects by Field (1998), documentation on the many projects existing worldwide was found to be scarce. Disseminating information about restoration projects is vital to learning from past experiences and thereby improving the success of future projects (Hackney 2000). In recent years restoration information has been more broadly disseminated through the use of the internet and through journals and conferences dedicated to the topic. Considerations in regard to disseminating the results of a coastal restoration project include the purpose, audience, timing, and appropriate venues (Diefenderfer et al. 2003). The appropriate venue for disseminating information can include scientific journals, reports, conferences, fact sheets, and newsletters. Below are some examples of innovative methods of disseminating information that we identified in our review.

Use of the Internet

Recently, the use of the Internet to disseminate information about restoration projects has greatly increased. One Web site that came online in 2003 is the NOAA Estuary Restoration Act (ERA) Database (NOAA 2003c). This site provides information on restoration projects from across the country with links to project Web sites that provide further information. Another NOAA Web site that will be coming online in 2004 is a Web site describing coastal restoration monitoring projects from around the US. This site will also be linked to the ERA Web site (Gayaldo 2003).

The Association of National Estuary Programs (ANEP) Web site contains a Habitat Loss Technology Transfer Database, which contains information about restoration from many of the NEP sites (ANEP 2004).

In Rhode Island, numerous groups acted in partnership to develop the Rhode Island Habitat Restoration Portal. The purpose of the portal is to "provide data and information about habitat restoration in Rhode Island to the public, federal and state agencies, and nonprofit groups. The focus is on seagrass, riverine (fish runs), and salt-marsh habitats. The objective is to create an information system that can be used to apply for grants, select potential projects, educate the public, and assist the state in restoration planning (University of Rhode Island Environmental Data Center 2003)."

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has a web portal called the Florida Wetland Restoration Information Center, which has information on restoration projects, funding sources, guidebooks, and a library (FDEP 2003). In southern California, the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project Information Station provides a searchable database of biological, hydrological, and land-use information for Southern California's coastal wetlands and watersheds. Project summaries are available with contact information, a brief description, and costs (California Coastal Conservancy 2004).

Information on the Internet can also focus on a particular project. For example, in Washington, the Mowitch Restoration Project has a Web site providing a project summary, list of restoration activities, and documents available for downloading (NOAA 2003h).

Other Innovative Dissemination Methods

Other effective means to disseminate information about restoration projects include the use of conventional media. For example, television can be used to reach a very broad audience. The Outdoor Channel taped and aired a restoration planting of mangroves in the Indian River Lagoon by volunteers of the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida - Orlando Chapter (CCA of Florida 2004). The program included interviews with chapter members and also featured cord grass being grown by students of Rockledge High School. Videos and compact discs (CDs) can also be used as an information tool, not only to inform but also to provide training. The Tampa BayWatch Bay Grasses in Classes program distributes a video on how to build a wetland nursery to grow salt marsh plants for restoration (Clark 2003). The California Coastkeepeer Alliance provides a CD, entitled "Help the Kelp," which highlights the Regional Kelp Restoration Project. It includes footage on kelp forests and growing juvenile kelp plants in their Regional Kelp Mariculture Facility (California Coastkeepeer Alliance 2003). Press releases in regional newspapers can also be an effective tool to keep the public and local stakeholders abreast of restoration activities.

In summary, information from a restoration project or program needs to be disseminated widely and in as many venues as possible. Only in this way can the science of restoration continue to mature and uncertainties begin to diminish.