Regional Restoration Initiative:

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Regional Restoration Initiative

• A science-based approach in the DE Estuary

Jennifer Adkins, Executive Director Partnership
for the Delaware Estuary
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Making Restoration Efforts Count

• Large and complex system
• Limited resources
• Broad CCMP
• Urgency

• To have Highest Impact, must invest
• strategically in highest value projects that
  yield maximum benefits to ecosystem goods and
  services
• Regional restoration considers which activities
  are best across time and space at both the
  watershed and sub-watershed scale

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The Regional Restoration Concept
(Registry Projects)
(Regional Priorities)
Match with Funder/Partner Priorities through PDE
Alliance
(RRWG)
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Key elements of the RRI

• A two-track process
• PDE Alliance for Comprehensive Ecosystem
  Solutions (Alliance)
• Regional Restoration Workgroup Registry

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Key Elements PDE Alliance

• 1. The best available science information, tools
  and expertise are used to find projects that
  best address the needs and opportunities for
  improving the Delaware Estuary. A
  STAC-affiliated workgroup assesses projects based
  on established criteria.

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Key Elements PDE Alliance

• 2. Input from stakeholders across the region is
  used to cultivate a pool of sound and diverse
  projects. A new online Project Registry and a
  public comment period allow stakeholders from
  across the region to submit their projects ,
  and/or their input on others projects, for
  consideration.

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Key Elements PDE Alliance

• 3. A public/private partnership of key leaders
  from government, industry, foundations, and
  non-profit entities the PDE Alliance uses a
  consensus-based process to select from available
  projects those that best address Regional
  Priorities. The result is a list of priority
  projects that Alliance members work together to
  promote, support, and implement by capitalizing
  on each of their unique set of resources.

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Key Elements PDE Alliance

• 2010 Priority Projects for the Delaware Estuary
• Bridesburg Urban Waterfront Restoration
• Delaware Bay Oyster Restoration
• Mannington Mills Riparian Restoration
• Mill Creek Stream Restoration
• Strategic Reforestation of Riparian Zones

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Key Elements RRWG Registry

• PDE Alliance, or
• Other
• Priorities
• and
• Needs

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Key Elements Registry

• One-stop-shop
• Part of effort to identify high value restoration
• Projects can include traditional habitat
  restoration, enhancement, creation, or protection
  activities
• Education, outreach, policy, and research
  projects can also be submitted to the Registry

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Key Elements Registry
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Key Elements RRWG

• Basic Decision-Making Tools

• Advanced Decision-Making Tools

• Linked to a project registry to compare
  ecologically important natural resources with
  protection and enhancement opportunities, and
  geographic locations

• Incorporate natural capital values that can be
  used to identify and compare high value
  activities and select priority projects.

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Key Elements RRWG Case Studies
Tidal Marshes
Bivalve Shellfish
Headwater Streams
Urban Waterfront
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Key Elements RRWG Case Studies

• Tidal Marsh Case Study

• Led by Lawrence D. Malizzi, PG, Vice President,
  Matrix New World Engineering, Inc. and Danielle
  Kreeger, PDE
• Currently working on Basic Restoration Tools
  using results from the Delaware Estuary Climate
  Adaptation Report

2000
2100
42,558 hectares of tidal wetlands lost by 2100
with corresponding primary production service
loss of 60 million kilograms over the century
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Key Elements RRWG Case Studies

• Bivalve Shellfish Case Study

• Led by Danielle Kreeger, PDE Science Director
• Currently working on Basic Restoration Matrices,
  working with TNC to identify and evaluate
  shellfish priority projects in the region.

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Key Elements RRWG Case Studies

• Forested Headwaters Streams

• Led by Michael Leff, Pennsylvania Horticulture
  Society
• Currently completing Basic and Value-added
  Restoration Matrices. Completed a prioritization
  map of 1st and 2nd order headwater streams

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Key Elements RRWG Case Studies

• Urban Waterfronts

• Led by Paul Racette, Pennsylvania Environmental
  Council
• Most advanced in developing Value-added
  Restoration Matrices.

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Thank you!
The Regional Restoration Initiative is designed
to

• Identify restoration activities that will yield
  the greatest ecosystem benefits for different
  watershed areas
• Provide a one stop shop for high value
  restoration projects and identify
  areas/activities of project need
• Infuse science into the restoration project
  decision process
• Enhance coordination of restoration activities
  and speed restoration priority setting and
  project selection