CALFED Bay-Delta Program heading

ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AT THE LANDSCAPE SCALE: THE NORTH DELTA AND SUISUN MARSH

The purpose of this workshop was to provide information and guidance for large-scale ecosystem restoration efforts in the North Delta and Suisun Marsh by soliciting input from a panel of outside experts familiar with large-scale river floodplain and estuarine restoration elsewhere within the United States. The workshop brought together local scientists involved with the planning, implementation, evaluation, and management of large-scale restoration efforts with external experts familiar with large-scale restoration and landscape ecology.

WORKSHOP PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS

Final Report - Ecosystem Restoration at the Landscape Scale: The North Delta and Suisun Marsh

Workshop summary

For workshop presentations please see the detailed agenda listed below.



Purpose

The purpose of this two-day (Nov. 18-19, 2009) workshop was to provide information and guidance for large-scale ecosystem restoration planning efforts in the North Delta and Suisun Marsh by soliciting input from a panel of outside experts familiar with large-scale river floodplain and estuarine restoration elsewhere within the United States. The workshop brought together local scientists involved with the planning, implementation, evaluation, and management of large-scale restoration efforts with external experts familiar with large-scale restoration and landscape ecology. There were four primary objectives for the workshop:

  1. discuss expectations for outcomes from large-scale restoration projects designed to provide habitats and conditions that assist putting listed aquatic species on pathways to recovery,
  2. provide a shared understanding of the knowledge base and restoration principles for large-scale restoration projects locally and nationally,
  3. identify and prioritize key questions and uncertainties that underpin large-scale restoration projects, and
  4. consider strategies for addressing these questions and uncertainties through implementing critical research combined with development of a robust evaluation program for local large-scale restoration projects.

Workshop Products

The panel of experts will produce an advisory report that will highlight principles for large-scale restoration, key questions and uncertainties to be considered going forward, approaches for addressing those uncertainties, and guidance on an effective monitoring and evaluation program for large-scale restoration projects. The presentations from the workshop will be posted on the CALFED Science Program website along with the agenda and a brief summary of the information conveyed and discussed throughout the workshop.

Expert Panel Members

  • John Teal - Delaware Bay Salt Marsh Restoration - Panel Chair
  • Jim Cloern – US Geological Survey San Francisco Bay Long-term Research
  • Nick Aumen - Everglades National Park
  • John Wiens - Chief Scientist PRBO Conservation Science
  • Karen Rodriguez - US EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

Background Materials

  1. Brown, L. (2003) "Will Tidal Wetland Restoration Enhance Populations of Native Fishes?"
  2. The Bay-Delta Conservation Plan Chapter 3 Conservation Strategy (Suggest focusing on Biological Goals and Objectives Ch.3.3, pp. 3-17 to 3-44; other sections are good secondary background material):
  3. The Bay-Delta Conservation Plan-DRERIP Summary.
  4. Delta Vision Ecosystem Context Memo on 12 key ecological principles to guide Delta Vision (Mike Healey):
  5. Design Principles for a Sustainable Ecosystem in the Bay-Delta (Mike Healey):

Other Reference Materials

  1. Bay-Delta Conservation Plan working draft (Suggest Ch 2 Existing Conditions):
  2. The Final Delta Vision Strategic Plan (recent legislation incorporates key components of the plan):
  3. The State of Bay Delta Science from the CALFED Science Program
  4. The Public Policy Institute of California report on Comparing Futures for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta:



Meeting Notice (pdf)

Detailed Agenda (pdf)

AGENDA – DAY 1

Agenda – Day 2