[Coral-List] The Four Principles of Ecological Restoration

Tue Aug 14 21:19:08 UTC 2018

Damien,

Indeed, I would like very much to share openly in Coral-List the coral reef restoration projects that failed because a solid scientific base was missing.

However, this would be sensitive information (with names and dates) and it will alienate the organizations that funded and/or implemented the work.

Rather than alienating them pointing out they failed, I think it's better to build a strong science-based coral reef restoration community of scientists and practitioners, and we make our code of conduct and our application of basic principles of ecological restoration well known, and we publicize them through all media available, globally.

I prefer building bridges than pointing fingers... but I keep a little black book with project fails just in case more drastic measures are needed.

<><...<><...<><...

Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D.
Twitter: @GrouperDoc
Science Blog: https://grouperluna.com/
Art Blog: https://oceanbestiary.com/

________________________________
From: Damien Beri <beridl at g.cofc.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2018 5:03 PM
To: Sarah Frias-Torres
Cc: coral list
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] The Four Principles of Ecological Restoration

Hi,

Thank you for sharing these 4 basic principles. Could you please share these failed restoration projects you have come across?

Warm Regards,
Damien Beri

M.A Marine Conservation and Policy
Stony Brook University

B.S. Biology
The college of Charleston
Coral/Aquarium Specialist

> On Aug 13, 2018, at 11:34 AM, Sarah Frias-Torres <sfrias_torres at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Dear Coral Listers
>
> Recently, I have come upon several ill-planned coral reef restoration projects that failed. I also see newspaper interpretations on other projects that are blown out of proportion.
>
>
> We must bring the coral reef restoration community together and implement a set of basic principles to guide present and future projects.
>
>
> Coral reef restoration must follow the four basic principles of planning and implementation of ecological restoration in order to increase sustainable and valuable outcomes. These principles are explained in Suding et al. (2015). Below, I list the four basic principles and a direct implication for coral reef restoration labelled as CRR:
>
> 1. Restoration increases ecological integrity. Restoration initiates or accelerates recovery of degraded areas by prioritizing the complexity of biological assemblages, including species composition and representation of all functional groups, as well as the features and processes needed to sustain these biota and to support ecosystem function;
>
> [CRR] Avoid "monocultures" unless they exist in natural conditions (i.e. Acropora thickets);  aim to restore species assemblages
>
> 2. Restoration is sustainable in the long term. Restoration aims to establish systems that are self-sustaining and resilient; thus, they must be consistent with their environmental context and landscape setting. Once a restoration project is complete, the goal should be to minimize human intervention over the long term. When intervention is required, it should be to simulate natural processes that the landscape no longer provides or to support traditional practices of local communities;
>
> [CRR] coral reef restoration jump-starts a degraded coral reef that is beyond natural recovery. Once the intervention ends, it must be self-sustaining, i.e. the restored reef attracts new coral recruits, fish community increases, etc.
>
> 3. Restoration is informed by the past and future. Historical knowledge, in its many forms, can indicate how ecosystems functioned in the past and can provide references for identifying potential future trajectories and measuring functional and compositional success of projects. However, the unprecedented pace and spatial extent of anthropogenic changes in the present era can create conditions that depart strongly from historical trends. Often, then, history serves less as a template and more as a guide for determining appropriate restoration goals.
>
> [CRR] this is shorthand for "don't "restore" a coral reef where there was not one to begin with.
>
> 4. Restoration benefits and engages society. Restoration focuses on recovering biodiversity and supporting the intrinsic value of nature. It also provides a suite of ecosystem services (e.g., improved water quality, fertile and stable soils, drought and flood buffering, genetic diversity, and carbon sequestration) that enhance human quality of life (e.g., clean water, food security, enhanced health, and effective governance). Restoration engages people through direct participation and, thus, increases understanding of ecosystems and their benefits and strengthens human communities.
>
> [CRR] Meaning, don't do "helicopter science". Involve the local community as much as possible throughout the entire process.
>
> I would add a communications principle:
>
> 5. Do not over-promise on what your project can do. Be very clear on what you are doing. A coral is not a coral is not a coral. It's not the same to outplant one breeding sized branching coral (i.e. 20 cm diameter), 20 thumb-sized fragment or 200 coral spat (< 1 cm diameter). Each coral is a at a different growth stage, has different mortality rates and different outcomes for the project. Educate journalists on the correct way of reporting your project. I know many won't listen, but it's worth the effort for those who would listen.
>
>
> Reference
>
> Suding K. and 12 authors (2015) Committing to ecological restoration . Science 348: 638-640
>
> http://science.sciencemag.org/content/348/6235/638
[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/348/6235/F1.medium.gif]<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/348/6235/638>

Committing to ecological restoration | Science<http://science.sciencemag.org/content/348/6235/638>
science.sciencemag.org
At the September 2014 United Nations Climate Summit, governments rallied around an international agreement—the New York Declaration on Forests—that underscored restoration of degraded ecosystems as an auspicious solution to climate change.

>
>
> <><...<><...<><...
>
> Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D.
> Twitter: @GrouperDoc
> Science Blog: https://grouperluna.com/
> Art Blog: https://oceanbestiary.com/
>
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list