The Coastal America Partnership has implemented over 140 projects since its inception in 1991. While implementing these projects, variety of lessons have been learned by the project managers, Regional Implementation Team (RIT) members and the National Implementation Team (NIT). These lessons have varied in their breadth and scope, but all have helped to move and/or clarify the project implementation process or increase our knowledge and understanding of coastal restoration issues. This document presents some of the lessons learned with enough depth to facilitate further inquiries and communication among the Coastal America participants with the intent of assisting in the transfer of implementation information among project managers and program directors.

The projects have been divided into six categories according to their area of special focus. Of course, all projects are based upon the three national problem areas identified by Coastal America as most significantly affecting coastal environments, i.e., habitat loss, nonpoint source pollution and contaminated sediments. Within each of the categories, subgroups have been established to bring together similar approaches to environmental restoration. In each subgroup, selected project summaries, together with the technical and procedural lessons that were learned during project implementation, as expressed by the project managers, senior management staff and consulting agencies, are presented.

As each new project is implemented, important new pieces of information enter the body of information that contributes to the project's implementation and/or to the basic science underlying the restoration activity. It is not the purpose of this document to be an exhaustive description or analysis of all the data gathered and of all the important details that would best be presented in scientific journals. Instead, it is our intent to present, in one document, the major lessons learned during the implementation of significant Coastal America projects. If this information sparks further interest in similar projects in other regions of the country, we will have accomplished our goal.

A. WETLANDS PROTECTION AND RESTORATION

SCOPE OF THE ISSUE

SELECTED PROJECT SUMMARIES

Restoration of Transportation Related Impacts
Restoring Hydraulic Patterns
Restoration Using Dredged Sediments
Restoration of Degraded Aquatic Sites

B. RIVER SYSTEM PROTECTION AND RESTORATION

SCOPE OF THE ISSUE

SELECTED PROJECT SUMMARIES

Minimizing Obstructions to Fish Migration
Restoration of Riverbanks
Improving Water and Sediment Quality

C. BEACH AND DUNE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION

SCOPE OF THE ISSUE

SELECTED PROJECT SUMMARIES

Construction of Structural Systems
Revegetation of Dune Habitats

D. OFFSHORE HABITAT PROTECTION AND RESTORATION

SCOPE OF THE ISSUE

SELECTED PROJECT SUMMARIES

Creation of New Offshore Habitat
Restoration of Existing Submerged Habitat
Preservation of Offshore Habitat
Restoration of Offshore Islands

E. NONPOINT SOURCE (NPS) POLLUTION MITIGATION

SCOPE OF THE ISSUE

SELECTED PROJECT SUMMARIES

Mitigation of NPS using Vegetative Measures
Development and Implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs)
Public Education

F. ASSISTING SPECIES AT RISK

SCOPE OF THE ISSUE

SELECTED PROJECT SUMMARIES

Reconstruction of Habitats
Species Monitoring/Intervention
Construction of Fish Hatcheries

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