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Habitat Loss: How Can We Map Our Progress?



Introduction \| Habitat Loss \| Contributing Factors \| Resources

What's the Problem?	\|	What Are We Doing?	\|	How Can We Map Our Progress?

Putting the Pieces Together

Here we begin to tie together the habitat restoration efforts of NEP communities as reported in their habitat reports (see What Are We Doing). The summary reports accessible in "Maps and Reports" include local and regional summaries. To view the total number of acres protected and restored annually, please see Annual NEP Habitat Efforts.

Maps and Reports: View mapped threats to habitat in NEP watersheds and view regional and local habitat report summaries.

Habitat Categories: View photographs and descriptions of the habitat categories used to summarize habitat activities across the program.

GPRA Terms: View definitions of activities described in NEP habitat reports.

National Estuaries Program Habitat Measure

The habitat protection efforts reported here, while coordinated and reported by the NEP, were accomplished through the efforts of the many individual state, local, and federal partners that comprise each estuary program. These stakeholders have committed significant time and resources to support habitat-related Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) actions that serve as the basis of the acreage numbers reported. It is through these strong partnerships and collective efforts that the NEPs are able to address not only habitat loss and alteration, but the broad range of problems facing local coastal communities and our estuaries.

EPA recognizes that although habitat acreage restored and protected is a strong measure of on-the-ground progress made by NEPs, it does not necessarily reflect improvements in habitat health (e.g., water quality and living resources). This habitat measure is used as an indicator to show tangible results towards a goal of conserving and enhancing the ecological health of estuaries. It represents an initial performance measurement effort that will evolve over time.

In addition, although the habitat acreage measure is reported annually, EPA recognizes that complete habitat restoration is a long-term process. While visual transformations in habitat structure and composition due to restoration efforts may be seen after a growing season, or use of the habitat by various key species may increase over a short period of time, changes in ecological function may not be fully realized for many years.

EPA acknowledges that there are data limitations associated with the habitat information reported by each NEP. For example, there may be inconsistencies in reporting based on different interpretations of the habitat categories or definitions of protection and restoration (see Protection and Restoration Terms), acreage may be miscalculated due to human error when transferring data supplied by other NEP partners, and there may be double counting of acreage in some cases where activities are repeatedly done on-site (such as replanting vegetation on the same habitat parcel due to storm damage). Although these limitations exist, the data presented is as accurate as possible based on review and inspection by each NEP prior to posting on this web page.

To look at last year's habitat protection and restoration efforts, please see below. For individual NEP reports, please click on Maps and Reports.

Annual NEP Habitat Efforts

National Estuary Programs restored and protected over 126,000 acres in 2002, predominantly wetlands. This was an increase in acreage compared to 2001 data. This increase could be due to a number of factors such as the opportunistic nat ure of habitat protection and restoration activities, additional funding availab le, willingness of property owners, more suitable environmental conditions, and greater community support.