Restoring and Protecting Marine Habitat The Role of Engineering and Technology (1994) / Chapter Skim
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8 Conclusions and Recommendations
8 Conclusions and Recommendations
Pages 113-124
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From page 113... ...
Even then, near- and midterm loss of natural functions can be substantial because human pressures on remaining natural sites will increase as coastal populations continue to grow. Marine habitats can be protected, enhanced, restored, or created with current science and engineering capabilities (although restoration of natural functioning can vary significantly)
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From page 114... ...
Also needed are increased flexibility in decisionmaking to allow consideration of innovative and alternate approaches to achieve goals and objectives; improved communications among practitioners, regulators, and decisionmakers; and better professional preparation for all facets of marine habitat management. Development and use of economic incentives are also needed to stimulate habitat protection and restoration by private parties and the industrial sector.
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From page 115... ...
Traditional coastal engineering technology has considerable potential for providing protective measures for habitat management projects. Coastal engineering technologies, such as the use of dredged material for establishment of emergent wetlands, beach nourishment and the construction of offshore underwater berms from natural materials for coastal storm protection, have proved effective in enhancing and creating marine habitat.
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From page 116... ...
Coastal engineering projects involving marine habitat can be improved through a multidisciplinary, holistic approach to guide project development from goal and objective setting through performance monitoring, measurement, and evaluation. RECOMMENDATION: Federal and state agencies, project sponsors, and practitioners of marine habitat protection, improvement, and creation should require multidisciplinary project planning, design, implementation, evaluation, and management.
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From page 117... ...
These criteria, at the minimum, should be based on sound engineering and scientific principles. RECOMMENDATION: Public authorities and other entities responsible for approving or permitting habitat projects should require project sponsors to commit to long-term maintenance and monitoring for a time span sufficient to show satisfactory performance, to provide the means for determining whether project objectives are achieved, and what, if any, corrective actions may be needed, and to promote accountability.
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From page 118... ...
A national policy should be promulgated to give focus to problem solving and corrective action and to obtain the maximum benefit from the public resources committed to activities affecting marine habitats. The application of scientific and engineering knowledge and capabilities that provide the technical means to protect and restore marine habitats should be guided by a national policy with well-defined goals and objectives.
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From page 119... ...
RECOMMENDATION: Each federal and state agency with marine habitat management responsibilities, within the scope of that responsibility, should develop habitat protection and improvement goals and objectives based on overarching national policy guidelines, quantify them to the fullest extent possible, and establish milestones for their attainment. Further, federal agencies should exercise their marine habitat management responsibilities in a holistic, integrated manner.
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From page 120... ...
The potential to incorporate environmental benefits into existing projects that are near marine habitats should be assessed and an implementation program developed. Standards requiring use of the best available technology for marine habitat management are insufficient and are not well-regulated.
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From page 121... ...
RECOMMENDATION: All federal, state, and local agencies with jurisdiction over or responsibilities for marine habitat management should: · collectively and individually modify policy and administrative pro cedures to improve opportunities for the application of appropriate technology and implementation of marine habitat projects; · collaborate in developing administrative approaches and pro grams that encourage and support the innovative application of available and emerging technologies; . improve interorganizational coordination for better accommodation of competing interests; · consider the environmental and economic benefits derivedfrom nonstructural measures including the productive use of dredged material, in the benefit-cost ratios of coastal habitat projects; and · examine the feasibility of improving economic incentives for marine habitat protection and restoration.
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From page 122... ...
RECOMMENDATION: Agencieswithresponsibilitiesformarinehabitat management should make a concerted effort to publish and otherwise broadly distribute results and lessons learnedirom marine habitat protection, enhancement, restoration, and creation initiatives. Continuing Professional Development Is Essential Continued professional development, including postacademic training for coastal engineering, is needed to ensure a credible base of expertise within the restoration industry.
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From page 123... ...
RECOMMENDATION: Continuing professional education of resource agency personnel and practitioners should be required to improve the decisionmaking, planning and design, and implementation of marine habitat management projects. RECOMMENDATION: Federal, state, and local agency personnel and restoration practitioners involved in planning, approving, and carrying out marine habitat management projects should be encouraged to seek professional certification within their respective disciplines and where appropriate, environmental professionals or other relevant professional designation.
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From page 124... ...
Dedicated research is needed in the following areas: · natural functions in reconstructed habitats; hydrology and hydraulics of marine ecosystems; sediment properties influencing the physical and biological performance of habitat enhancement, restoration, and creation projects; · sediment transport by natural energy to support mathematical predictive modeling; · use of dredged materialfor marine habitat restoration; · habitat utilization by biota in marine ecosystems; · mechanisms of recruitment for marine intertidal biota; · structures and functions of artificial reefs; and · methodologies for economic evaluation of coastal habitats. RECOMMENDATION: The executive branch of the federal government should designate an appropriate federal agency to convene an interagency committee to develop and coordinate a national research program for marine habitat management.
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