Restoration Planning and Acquisition in Light of Climate Change in the Northeast

Tidal wetlands are a key habitat for many commercially and recreationally important fish and shellfish species, and provide many human benefits such as protection from flooding and storm surges, and recreational and educational opportunities.  The NOAA Restoration Center has been active for many years in restoring tidal wetlands from historic degradation such as filling, diking and tidal restrictions, but climate change, and sea level rise in particular, pose new threats that need to be incorporated into restoration planning and acquisition.  In order to address sea level rise impacts on tidal wetland restoration in the Northeast region, NOAA has developed a draft technical guidance document that provides a framework for NOAA Restoration Center staff and partners to assess, respond to and incorporate the impacts of sea level rise into site-specific tidal wetland restoration planning and design.  The guidance complements other efforts to assess wetland vulnerability and migration potential, which can guide acquisition priorities to ensure fisheries habitat is maintained in the future.

NOAA’s restoration guidance centers around a five step planning process to be used during the feasibility, design and monitoring phases of a project.  This process begins with predicting the relative sea level rise at the project site over a 50 year time period, using the Army Corps of Engineers multiple scenario approach.  In the second step relevant background information is gathered on the project site, including current elevations of the site, vegetation, tides and critical infrastructure, as well as the presence of any barriers to wetland migration.  The third step is to conduct an analysis of the potential ecological, infrastructure and flooding impacts of sea level rise on the project under each of the three scenarios. This may involve modeling techniques or simple calculations, depending on the size and scope of the project.  Next, project managers use the results of the impact analysis to create or modify the project design, in order to maximize ecological benefits while minimizing risks. Finally, a project maintenance and monitoring plan should be developed that allows for evaluation of the success of the project over time and incorporates adaptive management techniques since sea level rise impacts are uncertain. 

By developing guidance on addressing climate change in restoration planning, and incorporating climate into land acquisition priorities NOAA seeks to promote sustainable habitats that will support abundant fish populations well into the future.