Coastal Services Center

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Overview

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Five Components of a Restoration Project

Figure 1. The five components of a coastal restoration project. Courtesy: Battelle

The systematic approach to coastal restoration projects presented here and throughout this website includes five phases: planning, implementation, performance assessment, adaptive management, and dissemination of results (Figure 1). This systematic approach was developed by Battelle scientists (Diefenderfer et al., 2003) through direct experience in designing, implementing, and monitoring restoration projects over the past 18 years. The approach was further informed by readings, discussions with colleagues, and a review of coastal restoration efforts across the United States (Borde et al., 2003). In general, the approach is applicable whether the project involves seagrass, coral, an estuary, kelp, salt marsh, mangrove, or other coastal habitats. Special attention is given to monitoring in this approach, an often neglected component of restoration that is critical to the scientific process as well as restoration success.

1. Planning

Planning includes the establishment of goals, objectives, and performance criteria for the project. Factors to consider in setting goals and performance criteria include time scale, spatial scale, structural conditions, functional conditions, self-maintenance, and the potential resilience of the system to disturbance.

During the planning phase, the specific location of the site is determined. Site selection can involve examination of historical or predisturbance conditions, degree of present alteration, present ecological conditions, and other factors. For more information see Site Selection and Prioritization. Pre-restoration monitoring might be necessary during the planning phase if contaminants are a concern at the restoration site. For more information see Innovative Monitoring and Adaptive Management.

Determining the level of physical effort, producing engineering designs, costing, scheduling, and producing contingency plans are all part of project planning (Figure 2). Stakeholders and the interested public should be identified and included in project planning. For more information see Planning Process.

2. Implementation

Engineers and contractors play a key role in ensuring that decisions during construction result in improvement of the system (Figure 3). To avoid commonplace mistakes during construction, the operation should be monitored by someone who is aware of the project goals and the ecology of the system. Also critical is the communication of engineering aspects of the program that might necessitate a revision of goals or performance criteria. For example, at the Gog-le-hi-te salt marsh restoration site in Tacoma, Washington it was discovered that the planned elevations were not achieved. As a result, the vegetation was that grew at the site (Typha) was what not what was predicted (Carex). A re-evaluation of the goals may have been necessary to determine whether the same functions would be provided by the Typha as would have been provided by the Carex .

3. Performance Assessment: Development of the Monitoring Program

The monitoring program provides direct feedback on the development of a restored system with respect to performance criteria. Monitoring parameters such as water quality, vegetation cover, and fish use are measured to determine success of the system (Figure 4). The following are examples of field-sampling methods that could be selected for each parameter:

• Water Quality
  In situ sampling (temperature, DO, salinity, turbidity)
  Sample collection for lab analysis (nutrients, contaminants, coliforms)

• Vegetation Cover
  Transect and quadrat sampling
  Aerial photography

• Fish Use
  Otter- and beam-trawls
  Beach seines
  Drop nets

The selection of appropriate reference or control sites in the vicinity of a restoration project is critical to the identification of trends in the monitoring data (Figure 5). For example, climatic variability can affect vegetation growth patterns. Reference areas allow scientists to be able to separate changes due to natural variability from those due to restoration efforts. For more information see Performance Assessment and Innovative Monitoring and Adaptive Management.

Figure 5. Reference sites for each eelgrass restoration plot at the Clinton Ferry Terminal, Clinton, Washington. Courtesy Battelle

4. Adaptive Management

The monitoring program is used as a tool to assess the potential for success and identify any problems that might affect progression toward the project goals. Broadly speaking, the options available to the manager are no action, maintenance of the system, and modification of the project goals. If the monitoring program identifies deviation from the predicted trajectory of ecosystem development, adjustments can and should be made (Figure 6). For example, a project goal might be to eradicate an exotic plant and increase native marsh vegetation through changes in hydrology. If monitoring showed that the exotic was still dominant after a period of time then additional restoration actions might be employed, such as exotic removal and native species plantings. Adaptive management has been recommended at a national level and is in use on many major restoration projects. For more information see Adaptive Management and Innovative Monitoring and Adaptive Management.

5. Dissemination of Results

It is important for complete information about the project to be disseminated as widely as possible. Examples of appropriate venues include scientific journals, community meetings, technical reports, and the internet. All aspects of the project should be documented, to show the effect of decisions and progress toward goals. Planning for future projects requires such information to minimize costs and maximize the probability of success. The dissemination of results facilitates information sharing by practitioners, which enables restoration practices to advance, makes restoration science more robust, and improves the chances of success at future projects. An additional benefit of wide distribution of information about a project is increased public awareness of not only a specific project, but also the potential benefits of habitat restoration in general. For more information see Information Dissemination.

Summary

Coastal restoration is an iterative process as represented by the arrows connecting the five components in Figure 1. First, during the planning phase, the conceptual model is revised as new information is generated. Then conditions on the ground may dictate reevaluation and possible alteration of plans during the implementation phase. Additional restoration measures are implemented as necessary as the development of the system is monitored and evaluated. Management goals for the system may evolve based on information generated at the site or on the evolving state of the science. The dissemination of results cycles information about projects throughout the restoration community, including scientists, resource managers, and the public, thereby increasing the status of the science and the awareness of restoration potential.

References

Borde AB, LK O'Rourke, RM Thom, GW Williams, and HL Diefenderfer. 2003. National Review of Innovative and Successful Coastal Habitat Restoration. Prepared for NOAA Coastal Services Center, Charleston, S.C. by Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory, Sequim, Washington.

Diefenderfer, H.L., R.M. Thom and J.E. Adkins. 2003. Systematic Approach to Coastal Ecosystem Restoration.Prepared for: NOAA Coastal Services Center, Charleston, S.C. by Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory, Sequim, Washington.