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U.S. Geological Survey Director's Workshop on Science for Natural Systems Restoration
U.S. Geological Survey Director Chip Groat, in partnership with the University
of New Orleans, convened a group of about 20 scientists and managers to meet for
a day and one-half in New Orleans on September 21st and 22nd. The purpose was to
explore the topic of using natural science and scientific understanding of complex
natural systems in the design, implementation, and monitoring of ecosystem
restoration activities. Participants were from the USGS (Ronnie Best, Milt Friend,
Barry Gold, Chip Groat, Jan Hren, Kim Taylor, Jeff Williams), NPS, EPA, NOAA, as
well as state agencies and academia.
A wide range of human activities has
degraded complex ecosystems over the past several centuries. The public, as
evidenced by high-profile projects underway nation-wide, deems restoration a
high priority. Restoration projects include those in Chesapeake Bay, the Grand
Canyon, Louisiana delta plain, Salton Sea, Massachusetts Bay/Boston Harbor,
South Florida/Everglades, Mojave Desert, and the CALFED/San Francisco Bay delta.
Providing the credible and objective scientific data and information needed to carry
out these and other restoration projects effectively is recognized by the USGS and
highlighted in the Bureau Strategic Plan, but the success record of integrating
science into ongoing restoration efforts has been mixed.
The purpose of this
workshop was to bring together selected science leaders as well as users of their
science and discuss project details to learn what worked and what fell short.
The objective was to develop some guiding principles for the design, implementation
and effective use of science in ecosystem restoration programs. A series of short
plenary presentations on several restoration projects, followed by two concurrent
breakout sessions for discussion, were focused on three topical areas: knowing
something needs to be done, deciding what is to be done, and learning from what
is done. Much of the workshop planning was handled by Denise Reed, Professor at
UNO, and Jan Hren, Chip's Science Advisor for Environment. They will be
compiling a report detailing the findings and recommendations from the workshop.
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October 2000
in this issue:
Florida Bay Red Grouper
Divers at Turners Falls
Long Island Sound
cover story:
Boston Harbor Clean-Up
Sea Floor Mapping DVD-ROM
Santa Cruz Shark Festival
Natural Systems Restoration
Mapping Tools for Fisheries
Alaska Geologic Mapping
Coral Reef Task Force
Gulf of Mexico Sediments
Viking Celebration
Iceland Lecture
Congratulations
Visitors
October Publications List
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U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
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