An analysis of restoration projects to inform partnerships for wetland mitigation in southeast Alaska

Abstract

Wetlands provide a variety of ecological, economic, and social values and are deteriorating rapidly because of anthropogenic impacts. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) made compensatory mitigation and “no net loss” of the nation’s wetlands the main regulatory tool for wetland management. It also made wetland restoration projects key to successfully achieve the regulatory goals set out in the CWA. Stakeholder partnerships consist of representatives from private interest groups, local public agencies, and state or federal agencies who work as a group, periodically and indefinitely, on particular issues or projects. Partnerships are becoming more popular in solving environmental problems and engaging local communities in restoration projects. This project aims to inform how wetland restoration projects engage with local stakeholder partnerships in southeast Alaska through comparing stakeholder partnerships utilized in six restoration projects throughout the Puget Sound area in Washington State. Project findings inform stakeholders in southeast Alaska about what partnerships foster and facilitate successful wetland restoration projects. The main recommendations for project stakeholders include: partnering with a primary monitoring stakeholder and partnering with a primary grant and project managing stakeholder.