Applying cumulative effects to strategically advance large-scale ecosystem restoration

International efforts to restore degraded ecosystems will continue to expand over the coming decades, yet the factors contributing to the effectiveness of long-term restoration across large areas remain largely unexplored. At large scales, outcomes are more complex and synergistic than the additive impacts of individual restoration projects. Here, we propose a cumulative-effects conceptual framework to inform restoration design and implementation and to comprehensively measure ecological outcomes. To evaluate and illustrate this approach, we reviewed long-term restoration in several large coastal and riverine areas across the US: the greater Florida Everglades; Gulf of Mexico coast; lower Columbia River and estuary; Puget Sound; San Francisco Bay and Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta; Missouri River; and northeastern coastal states. Evidence supported eight modes of cumulative effects of interacting restoration projects, which improved outcomes for species and ecosystems at landscape and regional scales. We conclude that cumulative effects, usually measured for ecosystem degradation, are also measurable for ecosystem restoration. The consideration of evidence-based cumulative effects will help managers of large-scale restoration capitalize on positive feedback and reduce countervailing effects

Ten years of restoration and protection in Puget Sound: What\u27s the impact on salmon?

The Puget Sound Acquisition & Restoration (PSAR) program was created in 2007 to advance salmon recovery efforts through habitat restoration and protection in the Puget Sound. Working with local entities to identify and prioritize projects, PSAR has funded over 450 projects around Puget Sound and is an essential resource in implementing regional recovery plans for salmonid populations, including ESA listed Puget Sound Chinook. Ten years after its inception, a key next step includes assessing the cumulative effects of the PSAR program to understand how our actions are impacting salmon recovery and better support decision making in the region. This presentation will examine approaches to evaluate the PSAR program by exploring success criteria, measurements of program outcomes, and the development of a prioritization process that adapts to new science and information

Evaluation tools to assess recovery progress and the adaptation of future efforts.

Ecosystem recovery programs have a fundamental need for scientific evaluation. Evaluation outcomes are used to understand recovery progress, predict changes with changing climate conditions and dynamic socioeconomic systems, and provides the needed information for a sustainable and adaptable recovery effort. In the Puget Sound, ecosystem recovery is progressing, albeit more slowly than hoped, despite substantial investments made. Many monitored ecosystem indicators are not meeting recovery targets and salmon populations in the region show few signs of recovery. There is continued need for scientific evidence to improve clarity around critical decisions and ensure investments are effective and targeted to accomplish the transformational results needed for recovery. Integrating scientific findings into planning efforts helps ensure the accountability of actions, understand the effectiveness of those actions and investments made, and promotes the evaluation of recovery progress. Because linkages between recovery actions and ecosystem responses are complex, scientific evaluations of recovery progress can be very challenging. Most large-scale restoration programs focus on evaluating project-scale monitoring or use syntheses to address programmatic questions regarding recovery progress. While these approaches are common and provide information to guide recovery work at larger scales, alternative options exist for a more comprehensive assessment. This session will consist of presenting innovative, evidence-based approaches to evaluating progress toward ecosystem recovery, specifically the quantification of cumulative effects produced by multiple recovery actions across landscapes. Presentations will include the introduction and application of an evidence-based evaluation of cumulative effects in large scale systems, a flexible and innovative methodology for synthesizing and assessing the effectiveness of ecosystem restoration actions at various scales. The question and answer portion will focus on how restoration benefits are evaluated and discuss the role of these evaluations in addressing programmatic questions associated with the adaptive management of large-scale ecosystem restoration as well as natural management and policy implications