Applied wetland restoration: Successes and lessons learned

Session: Wetland Restoration in the Great Lakes Basin: Research and Innovation (3)

Gregg Sargis, The Nature Conservancy, [email protected]

Abstract

The Nature Conservancy has coordinated a number of wetland and stream restoration projects across the Lake Ontario coastline and the western Finger Lakes.  The goal of these projects included both ecological outcomes such as wildlife habitat improvement, but also social benefits such as reductions in sediment and nutrients. This presentation will discuss important design factors we sought to improve and discuss the key role stakeholder engagement has in a project’s implementation and overall success. This includes how we built community support in our various restoration projects, and the role external communication plays in managing partner and external stakeholder expectations. Many of the lessons learned from our restoration projects, related to project design, construction and monitoring over the last 10 years will be discussed.