Delaware Estuary Regional Restoration Initiative (RRI)

 


Regional restoration planning is emerging nationally as a means to promote better coordination among restoration practitioners, planners and project decision-makers on a watershed basis to ensure that the most meaningful ecological outcomes are realized. Restoration, enhancement and conservation projects are often in reaction to particular program interests, issues or incidents, without scientific consideration for how they fit within the broader landscape of ecological needs. The goal of our new Regional Restoration Initiative (RRI) is to provide a science-based decision-support system that proactively guides restoration activities to ensure that outcomes:

1) reach their fullest potential

2) are tailored to maximize ecological needs for specific sub-watershed regions, and

3) minimize short-term loss of opportunity and maximize long-term “bang-for the-buck” by considering ecological compounding relative to economic investments

 

 
RRI Components

 

The RRI consists of three components: 1) a science & technical track that will develop ecological matrices and decision support tools to help elevate needs and opportunities that are expected to yield the greatest ecological goods and services; 2) a policy & consensus track that will synthesize and coordinate regional program priorities and activities among restoration decision makers, and 3) a project registry that will serve as a clearinghouse for restoration projects across the watershed. The RRI began in 2008.

Rapid decision tools remain the focus so that project selection can occur at any time using best scientific judgment, but over time the Regional Restoration Work Group (RRWG) will strengthen these tools. Initially, the RRWG is focusing on four case studies.

A complete description of the PDE RRI strategy can be found in the RRI Blueprint Report.

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

Work Group Facilitators: Danielle Kreeger & Laura Whalen