Defining Everglades Defining Everglades Restoration Success*Restoration Success*

*i.e., “millions of crayfish”*i.e., “millions of crayfish”

COMPREHENSIVE EVERGLADES RESTORATION PLAN

John C. Ogden, Chief Scientist,

Everglades Restoration Planning Department,

SFWMD

October, 2007

Ecosystem Restoration – Ecosystem Restoration – a Definitiona Definition

“Restoration means the reestablishment of pre-disturbance aquatic functions and related physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. Restoration is different from habitat creation, reclamation, and rehabilitation… …The objective is to emulate a natural, self-regulating system that is integrated ecologically with the landscape in which it occurs”NRC, 1992

CERP Vision - ICERP Vision - I

“ Success for the natural system will be to Success for the natural system will be to recover and sustain those essential recover and sustain those essential hydrological and biological characteristics hydrological and biological characteristics that both defined the original pre-drainage that both defined the original pre-drainage greater Everglades and made it unique greater Everglades and made it unique among the world’s wetlands. ”among the world’s wetlands. ”

CERP Vision - IICERP Vision - II

“ …“ …Although the future Everglades ecosystem Although the future Everglades ecosystem will be a “new” Everglades because it will be will be a “new” Everglades because it will be smaller than the pre-drainage system, smaller than the pre-drainage system, restoration will have been successful if the restoration will have been successful if the new system responds to the recovery of these new system responds to the recovery of these defining characteristics by functionally defining characteristics by functionally behaving as a wild Everglades system rather behaving as a wild Everglades system rather than as a set of managed, disconnected than as a set of managed, disconnected wetlands.wetlands. ” Design Coordination Team 2003

Two Categories of CERP Two Categories of CERP Natural System GoalsNatural System Goals

1. A Restored Ecosystem: A wetland that resembles the pre-drainage condition, i.e., “true restoration” as defined by NRC.

2. A Healthy Ecosystem: A wetland that is substantially improved based on non-restoration criteria.

““True” RestorationTrue” Restoration

RECOVER uses all available sources of information to define the pre-drainage characteristics (“defining characteristics”) of the greater Everglades wetlands - as a basis for recommending performance measures and assessing progress (Interim Goals) towards meeting program goals.

““Healthy” EcosystemHealthy” Ecosystem

RECOVER uses different, non-restoration criteria as a basis for recommending performance measures and assessing progress (Interim Goals) towards achieving a substantial improvement in some valued components or purposes. Examples include endangered species, and desired commercial and recreational fisheries.

The Everglades’ Defining CharacteristicsThe Everglades’ Defining Characteristics

Those physical and ecological components and functions that defined the Greater Everglades as an ecosystem that is different (unique) from all other wetland systems, and which describe the most fundamental relationships and components of the system. Collectively, these characteristics describe the Everglades - the physical, ecological, and biological qualities of the region; without these without these characteristics it is no longer “The Everglades!” characteristics it is no longer “The Everglades!”

Total SystemTotal System Defining Physical Characteristics: Large Spatial Extent Low Nutrient, Freshwater Wetlands Dynamic Surface and Groundwater Hydrology Surface Water Connectivity & Sheetflow Wet Season Fire Patterns Peat & Marl Soils Low Salinity & Hydrology Gradients Sub-tropical System

Total SystemTotal System Defining Ecological Characteristics & Attributes- I: Highly Productive, Dynamically Sustainable Estuaries

– SAV-Phytoplankton Balance– Oysters– Nitrogen-Phosphorous Balance– Nursery & Refugia Function

Oligotrophic Freshwater Wetlands– Soil & Surface Water Nutrients– Periphyton Community– Vegetation Mosaics

Complex Landscape Gradients & Interactions– Short-Long Hydroperiod Interactions– Freshwater-Estuarine Interactions– Hydrologic Connectivity

Total SystemTotal System

Defining Ecological Characteristics & Attributes - II: Animals with Large Spatial Requirements

– Florida Panther– White Ibis– Wood Stork– Snail Kite

Abundant, Large Aquatic Vertebrates & Aquatic Prey– American Alligator– White Ibis– Wood Stork

– Crayfish

Defining & Measuring SuccessDefining & Measuring Success

CERPGoals

TrueRestoration

EcologicalHealth

DefiningCharacteristics

OtherDesired Values

&Purposes

MAPSystemStatusReport

Adaptive Management

RestorationReportCard

InterimGoals

5-YearReport

Congress

PerformanceMeasures

PerformanceMeasures

Defining Success –Defining Success –Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts

Set a Goal = “True restoration of an Everglades ecosystem will have been achieved when the defining characteristics are recovered…”

But = “…natural systems are self-regulating and dynamic and… it is not possible to know in advance exactly what can or will be achieved. Thus, ecosystem restoration is an enterprise with scientific uncertainty that requires continual testing of assumptions and monitoring of progress.” NRC, 2006.

Thank YouThank You