Ecologically based goal setting in mangrove forest and tidal marsh restoration

Abstract

The history of goal setting in marsh and mangrove restoration projects is outlined and suggested to have included three phases. The first was the initial experimental phase where ‘persistent vegetative cover’ was the primary goal. Following the routine achievement of that criterion, coastal restoration entered a new phase where wetland compensatory mitigation became the primary driving force and ‘functional equivalency’ was considered the ultimate goal. We have now entered the third phase where ‘ecological restoration’ and ‘ecosystem restoration’ are the buzzwords. Using case studies in southern Florida, it is suggested that the political will is not there to properly fund effective wetland compensatory mitigation programs and thus the success of these is marginal and cannot be expected to improve. Wetland regulatory programs are still needed, but the future of coastal wetland management is more likely to be successful with an emphasis on conservation and restoration programs with mitigation/compensation being only one small part of the entire program. Ecologically based goal setting will be an important future element of successful non-regulatory wetland management programs.