Habitat Restoration

Many of the habitats of coastal zones have been degraded, and in some cases permanently altered, by urban development and sprawl in our coastal regions, as well as unsound agricultural practices in coastal watersheds. Protecting and restoring these habitats requires an understanding of comprehensive ecosystem function and all the interconnections that combine to support the health of any particular habitat.

Five E's Unlimited's successful research, management, and policy approaches to coastal ecosystem habitat restoration draw upon knowledge gained from coupling coastal environmental quality and ecologic functioning data with a sound understanding of watershed land-use factors, supported by improved and "cutting-edge" scientific inquiry.

For example, we have developed protocol for the re-establishment of coastal lagoon seagrass beds and productive shellfish habitats through the use of applied landscape ecology assessment techniques on adjacent lands to determine nutrient and soil erosion impacts. From these efforts we have developed recommendations on best management practices to eliminate causes of coastal lagoon ecosystem degradation and allow for rehabilitation of seagrass communities. We have also established methodology for monitoring recovery results with the use of remote sensing tools.

Five E's Unlimited has gained experience in Habitat Restoration from the following work.

• Developed plans for aquatic habitat restoration/management (e.g. seagrass beds) in mid-Atlantic coastal lagoons.
• Designed strategies for environmentally sound management/protection of coastal living resources and estuarine ecosystems in Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coastal bays, as well as the Great Lakes.
• Facilitated the work of more than 100 stakeholders (scientists, governmental officials, citizens, industry representatives) in developing a comprehensive management plan for restoration of a large coastal Louisiana estuarine system.

Coastal economies need healthy bay and estuarine ecosystems. In re-developing these resources, often from disturbed environments, one must be aware of the actual Realities of Restoration Ecology.