Strategies to implement adaptive management practices for restoration in coastal Louisiana

Due to the Deepwater Horizon settlement, the amount of coastal restoration work has greatly increased. This has in turn led to an increase in the governance complexity associated with project funding, implementation, and reporting. As a result, there is a recognized need to formalize an adaptive management process for coastal restoration in Louisiana – a process that accounts for monitoring completed projects with an eye toward making adjustments to operations or future project designs. The overall goal is to maximize benefits from restoration projects. This paper examines the development of this formalization and outlines strategic actions to put the plan into action.