Habitat Restoration should always be aimed at re-engendering the broadest suite of processes possible.  This notion is not new, but from what I’ve seen it is not frequently incorporated into practice.

The most widely used term these days for this approach to restoration is “process-based restoration.”  Today the term process is used, but previously the term function was favored because aquatic habitat “functions” are protected by the Clean Water Act.  That is why I developed the Functional Assessment of Colorado Wetlands (FACWet) - to evaluate the functions (processes) being performed by a wetland at risk, in order to guide the restoration (“compensatory mitigation”) that would be used to offset the impact.

To demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of using process-based restoration in a regulatory context, I developed a mitigation banking instrument for Denver Water and completed a 96-acre fen restoration.  After that, EcoMetrics and I teamed up to complete a process-based restoration of the Arkansas River floodplain, which is now a pending mitigation bank for Aurora Water.  In the ultimate test of concept, I carried out the Rocky Mountain Fen Research Project, which advanced the science of mountain fen restoration, and serves as an example of how such restorations could be used a Federal or State regulatory program.  With numerous restorations during this period and after, I feel like I’ve really hit a pinnacle with my current work with the City of Steamboat Springs and Stillwater Sciences on the Walton Creek - Yampa River Confluence restoration at the gateway to a legendary Colorado town.

Undertaking a Restoration

As far as a process or what you might expect from me during a restoration project, my goal is to identify restoration opportunities in response to your organization’s needs and then carry out those restorations alone or in collaboration with a hand-picked team.  With decades of experience, I have a highly efficient and effective procedure for taking habitat restoration from an idea to a reality.  The first step is planning.

Planning

A restoration commonly starts with a property or regional survey aimed at identifying candidate sites to meet the needs of the situation.  I’ve developed expertise in identifying and prioritizing restoration opportunities through my work with clients including the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State Land Board, CO Water Conservation Board, Denver Water, Aurora Water, Pueblo Water, Colorado Springs Utilities, Ute Water and the Cities of Steamboat Springs, Breckenridge and the City of Fort Collins. 

Once a target habitat has been identified, then the restoration really begins.  Through all of our work assessing ecological health, Mark Beardsley and I struck upon the notion that the most effective process for returning ecological health to aquatic habitats was one that paralleled what is used in human health:  Diagnosis, prescription, treatment and then post-procedure monitoring.  This is how doctors approach the restoration of human health and this is how I approach the restoration of ecological health.

1.       Diagnosis – This step begins with an assessment of the essential factors driving habitat health, such as hydrology and vegetation structure.  From there I diagnose the agents responsible for dysfunction.  To learn more about ecological health assessment and my approach to it, look here.

2.       Prescription and Treatment – Based on the diagnosis, I prescribe a treatment plan aimed at allowing the habitat to heal using natural processes and then carry it out.  You can see some of my favorite projects here.     

3.       Monitoring – Monitoring of habitat response is critically-important, but all too often neglected.  I use monitoring as an essential tool of the trade, as a medical doctor might use a stethoscope.  I use monitoring information to prescribe follow up treatments, evaluate efficacy and, always, to learn and improve techniques.  I’ve developed monitoring programs to meet all kinds of purposes, from scientific hypothesis testing, Clean Water Act compliance, or programmatic effectiveness.  Here’s a recent example of a major monitoring program of 2013 flood recovery monitoring EcoMetrics and I undertook for CWCB.