Boevers 2008 adaptive management large-scale restoration

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Boevers, J. 2008. Lessons learned from programmatic adapative management of large-scale coastal ecosystem restoration. Thesis, University of Washington. 120 pp.

Notes

  • Developed for the PSNERP program, and warns of institutional barriers to adaptive management.

Abstract

Adaptive management (AM) is considered a best management practice for ecosystem restoration, yet successful examples of adaptive management approaches for large-scale ecosystem restoration programs are few. I conducted a multi-case study analysis of three restoration programs in the US to identify how AM is organized and implemented at the program level. I developed seven criteria for programmatic adaptive management based on the literature. The programs were evaluated against these criteria using evidence drawn from program documents, AM artifacts and interviews with program representatives. Through the analysis I identified a set of lessons learned for future applications of adaptive management for large-scale restoration. Many lessons emerged from this study, including: the importance of formal institutional structures dedicated to AM; the necessity of system-wide modeling and monitoring to facilitate AM; the importance of stakeholders in the AM process; the value of leadership being committed to an AM approach; the need for interagency cooperation; and the significance of institutional capacity to realize an AM process. The final discussion includes a series of recommendations for future restoration planners who want to incorporate adaptive management in a restoration program.