EcoRestore

EcoRestore
Name	EcoRestore
Type	Nonprofit environmental restoration program
Founded	2015
Headquarters	Sacramento, California
Area served	San Francisco Bay-Delta, United States
Key people	Jessica McKellar, Dr. Samuel Ortega, Maria Chen

EcoRestore EcoRestore is a coordinated environmental restoration initiative focused on large-scale habitat rehabilitation in the San Francisco Bay-Delta region. The program brings together federal, state, local, and nonprofit actors to implement restoration projects that span wetlands, riparian corridors, floodplains, and estuarine habitats. It emphasizes science-based approaches, adaptive management, and multi-stakeholder governance to address biodiversity loss and water-resource challenges.

Overview

EcoRestore operates as a multi-agency effort aligning the priorities of the California Natural Resources Agency, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and regional entities such as the San Francisco Estuary Partnership. Projects target ecosystem functions that benefit imperiled species like the Delta smelt, Chinook salmon, and Ridgway's rail, while also supporting cultural resources managed by tribes including the Maidu and Yurok. The initiative integrates scientific input from institutions such as the University of California, Davis, Stanford University, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to inform restoration design and monitoring.

History and Development

EcoRestore emerged in the wake of heightened attention to the ecological decline of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and regulatory actions under statutes like the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. Early planning drew on regional efforts exemplified by the CALFED Bay-Delta Program and lessons from restoration projects at sites like Bolinas Lagoon and South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. Federal funding streams from appropriations influenced by lawmakers such as members of the California congressional delegation and state ballot measures shaped its rollout. Academic partnerships with California State University, Chico and consultancies with firms experienced in habitat engineering supported initial pilot projects launched in the mid-2010s.

Mission and Objectives

The stated mission aligns restoration actions with recovery goals for species listed under the Endangered Species Act and with objectives articulated by the California Water Resources Control Board. Primary objectives include reestablishing tidal marsh, improving floodplain connectivity along the Sacramento River, enhancing nursery habitat for anadromous fishes like steelhead trout and Coho salmon, and increasing resilience to sea-level rise as projected by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scenarios. Additional aims include supporting fisheries overseen by agencies such as the National Marine Fisheries Service and preserving cultural landscapes recognized by tribal governments and the National Register of Historic Places.

Programs and Activities

Activities encompass land acquisition in collaboration with land trusts such as the Nature Conservancy, engineered breaching of levees at sites comparable to Cogswell Marsh, invasive plant management modeled on efforts at Point Reyes National Seashore, and installation of fish passage improvements inspired by projects at Friant Dam. Monitoring programs employ methodologies from the United States Geological Survey and the Smithsonian Institution to assess water quality, sediment transport, and species responses. Public engagement includes volunteer restoration days with organizations like California Native Plant Society and educational programming coordinated with the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Governance and Funding

Governance is structured around interagency steering committees that include representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, California Governor's Office, county governments such as Contra Costa County and Alameda County, and nonprofit boards. Funding sources combine federal appropriations administered through entities like the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, state bond measures such as Proposition 1, grants from foundations including the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, mitigation funds from water project operators like Delta Conveyance Project stakeholders, and private donations routed via community foundations. Oversight draws on legal frameworks established by the California Environmental Quality Act and federal grant compliance standards.

Partnerships and Collaborations

EcoRestore convenes partnerships across a spectrum of actors: tribal governments (for example, the Miwok and Yurok), academic researchers from University of California, Berkeley and California Institute of Technology, NGOs including Golden Gate Audubon Society and Save the Bay, and municipal water agencies such as the Contra Costa Water District. International collaboration and technical exchange have taken place with groups tied to the Ramsar Convention and restoration practitioners from Australia and the Netherlands, facilitating knowledge transfer of tidal marsh engineering and sea-level adaptation practices.

Impact and Outcomes

Reported outcomes include reestablishment of hundreds of hectares of tidal marsh, measurable increases in nursery habitat complexity documented by teams at UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory, and improved fish passage at targeted tributaries. Modeling efforts leveraging data from NOAA and the USGS project co-benefits for flood risk reduction and carbon sequestration, informing state-level planning led by the California Natural Resources Agency. Success stories have been highlighted in partnership case studies with the Nature Conservancy and in adaptive management reviews conducted by independent auditors including firms formerly engaged with Environmental Defense Fund evaluations.

Criticism and Controversies

Critiques have centered on the pace and scale of implementation relative to the magnitude of decline in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, disputes over land-use tradeoffs involving agricultural stakeholders such as the California Farm Bureau Federation, and tensions between state agencies and tribal sovereignty advocates. Environmental groups like Friends of the River and some academic critics have questioned monitoring rigor and long-term funding sustainability. Legal challenges invoking provisions of the Clean Water Act and litigation concerning water rights have occasionally delayed projects, while debates persist about prioritization among species such as Delta smelt versus salmonid recovery.

Category:Environmental restoration organizations