©Stephen Glass
The RRC provides a searchable database of restoration projects from around the world intended to serve as a resource for practitioners, researchers, educators, students, and the general public. Projects have been freely contributed by users of the SER website, or have been compiled from publicly available information by SER staff or other designees of SER. Expand the filter tool below to search for projects by country, region, biome, ecosystem, cause of degradation, or any combination of these factors.
Although SER does review all submissions for relevance, quality, and completeness before approving them for inclusion in the database, they are not subjected to peer review nor has project information been independently verified in the field. SER therefore makes no claim as to the accuracy of the information presented here or the degree to which the methods, techniques, and strategies used for a particular project adhere to generally accepted standards for ecological restoration practice. Anyone interested in learning more about a particular project is encouraged to contact the project lead or the responsible organization directly for further information.
If you have field experiences you’d like to share, we encourage you to submit your own project to the database!
The Project Database is generously supported by Stantec
USA: Virginia: Oyster Reef Restoration in Chesapeake Bay
Country: United States of America
Abstract: Efforts to restore the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reef habitats in Chesapeake Bay typically begin with the placement of hard substrata to form three-dimensional mounds on the seabed to serve as a base for oyster recruitment and growth. A shortage of oyster shell for creating large-scale reefs has led to widespread use of other materials, such as Surf clamshell (Spisula solidissima), as a substitute for oyster shell. Oyster recruitment, survival and growth were monitored on...USA: Maryland: Potomac River Eelgrass Restoration
Country: United States of America
Abstract: As part of a larger effort to restore vital submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitat in Chesapeake Bay--primarily eelgrass (Zostera marina)--three sites in the Potomac River were chosen for replanting. After initial attempts to manually gather reproductive shoots from donor beds, project practitioners decided to employ a mechanical harvesting boat in order to improve efficiency and viable seed yields. Shoots were gathered and stored at an aquaculture facility, and seeding was subsequently...Australia: Seagrass Rehabilitation in Adelaide Metropolitan Coastal Waters
Country: Australia
Abstract: A seagrass rehabilitation experiment aimed at determining the best method for facilitating the natural recruitment of Amphibolis seedlings was carried out at two sites along the Adelaide metropolitan coast. Previous seagrass restoration in South Australia has focused on methods developed elsewhere, including the transplantation of mature seagrass units and the culturing and planting out of seagrass seedlings. The use of these methods has proven difficult, and results have generally been poor...Netherlands: Restoration of Eelgrass in the Western Wadden Sea
Country: Netherlands
Abstract: In the Netherlands, the reintroduction of eelgrass in the western Wadden Sea was formulated in 1998 as one of the measures (N17) in the "Maatregelenprogramma Waddenzee", the action program for the Dutch Wadden Sea. The objective of this project was to create a stable eelgrass population which would grow into a source for further recovery and expansion. In order to select optimal locations for transplantation and protection, actual eelgrass beds in the Wadden Sea were monitored, a...USA: Florida: Charlotte Harbor Estuary Program, North Fort Myers (Gulf of Mexico)
Country: United States of America
Abstract: Charlotte Harbor is the second largest open water estuary in the state of Florida. Located on the west coast of Florida, Charlotte Harbor includes eight basins; 1) coastal Venice, 2) Lemon Bay, 3) Charlotte Harbor, 4) Gasparilla Sound, 5) Pine Island Sound, 6) Matlacha Pass, 7) San Carlos Bay, 8) Estero Bay, as well as the Myakka, Peace and the Calloosahatchee rivers. This covers an estimated 4,500 square miles (11,655 square kilometers). In the year 2000 the urban population in this area was...USA: California: Eradication of the Invasive Seaweed Caulerpa Taxifolia from Agua Hedionda Lagoon and Huntington Harbour
Country: United States of America
Abstract: In the summer of 2000, the first known Western Hemisphere infestations of the invasive strain of the tropical marine alga, Caulerpa taxifolia, were discovered in Agua Hedionda Lagoon, Carlsbad, California and in Huntington Harbour, Huntington Beach, California. Commonly used in saltwater aquarium systems, earlier releases of C. taxifolia into coastal European and Australian waters have resulted in the establishment of extensive dense carpets of the seaweed, smothering diverse natural...USA: Massachusetts: Boston Harbor Eelgrass Restoration
Country: United States of America
Abstract: An eelgrass restoration program implemented by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries is underway in Boston Harbor as a partial mitigation for assumed impacts to marine resources resulting from the HubLine gas pipeline construction which transits the Harbor. The restoration is intended to provide important shallow-water eelgrass habitat to juvenile crustaceans, shellfish, and finfish which commonly inhabit sea grass meadows. Water quality improvements from the secondary treatment and...Puerto Rico: Culebra Island: Puerto del Manglar Red Mangrove Restoration
Country: Puerto Rico
Abstract: Approximately 20 acres of coastal fringing mangroves were restored at a variety of sites along 15,000 feet of shoreline on the island of Culebra. Culebra is the main island in an archipelago of 22 smaller islands that has been designated the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge due to its importance as a sanctuary for many common and endangered species of birds, fish and sea turtles. The mangroves of Culebra were severely impacted by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, and they failed to recover naturally....USA: Minnesota: Sugarloaf Cove (Lake Superior)
Country: United States of America
Abstract: This site represents the historical location of a rare wetland on the north shore of Lake Superior. From the 1940s to the 1970s, Sugarloaf Cove was used as a landing site for a pulpwood operation. The site was leveled and low-lying areas were filled with gravel in order to build roads and buildings. Even though the buildings were removed after the industrial use was completed, the wetlands at Sugarloaf Cove could not return because the topography onsite had been altered so radically. In 1998, a...Pakistan: Mangrove Restoration through The Korangi Ecosystem Project
Country: Pakistan
Abstract: The Korangi Ecosystem Project was set up to develop a management plan for the two major creeks adjacent to Karachi--Korangi and Phitti Creek. These creeks cover about 60,000 hectares and have some of the densest growth of mangroves, near the largest concentrations of people (100,000), on the northern edge of the Indus Delta. Project activities include surveys and models of mangrove distribution and biodiversity, establishment of extensive mangrove plantations, and community education and...USA: Florida: Restoration of the Tampa Bay Ecosystem
Country: United States of America
Abstract: Tampa Bay was designated an "estuary of national significance" by Congress in 1990, paving the way for development of a long-term blueprint for bay restoration through the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. The TBEP, guided by its Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and working together with various formal and informal partners, has launched a long-term restoration effort aimed at revitalizing the entire Tampa Bay ecosystem. Thus far, strides have been made in reducing the amount of nitrogen...USA: Louisiana: Bayou La Branche Wetlands Restoration (St. Charles Parish)
Country: United States of America
Abstract: This site used to brackish marshland on the southwestern shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Bayou La Branche served as a barrier to wave action by Lake Pontchartrain. It also provided filtering of contaminants and habitat for wildlife and fish. This site was levied and pumped in the early 1900s, converting the land to use by agriculture. When a hurricane broke the levee, this site filled with water. Wetland vegetation was never able to re-establish on site due to the fact that the water was too deep...Vietnam: Wetlands Restoration in the Tram Chim National Park (Dong Thap Province)
Country: Vietnam
Abstract: The Plain of Reeds was a vast freshwater floodplain ecosystem along the Mekong River delta in southern Vietnam. This area used to remain covered with shallow water (30 - 100 cm) for 3 to 6 months during the rainy season. This area has been changed due to human activities such as irrigation canals and agriculture. During the American-Vietnam war, this area was drained by the U.S. army so that it could be dried and burned to reduce cover. This effort destroyed the natural flood cycle of the...USA: Florida: Mangrove Restoration at West Lake (Broward County)
Country: United States of America
Abstract: Mangrove restoration has been attempted in many places around the world, but failures have been common and much money has been wasted. Hydrologic restoration--i.e. planning for restored hydrology and natural colonization of seedlings--appears to be the most cost effective form of mangrove restoration. This project employed that strategy and resulted in the successful establishment of 500 hectares of mangroves at West Lake in Broward County, Florida. In addition to facilitating the...United Kingdom: England: The Wetlands Restoration Project at The Woodland Education Centre (Offwell, Honiton, Devon)
Country: United Kingdom
Abstract: The Wetlands Restoration Project (UK) was started in order to restore water to an area that once was home to two Victorian boating lakes that had mostly filled with silt over the years. Instead of merely dredging up the silt, this project deliberately created four distinct types of habitat: lake, pond, marsh, and wetland. Devices to control the level of water were installed. Silt was removed. Non-native rhododendron was removed from the water areas. Native plants were planted in the hopes of...India: Mangrove Restoration in Andhra Pradesh
Country: India
Abstract: This project was launched in Andhra Pradesh with the aim of inducing concerted action towards conservation and sustainable management of the mangrove wetlands on the east coast of India. The restoration employed canal techniques, instead of simple plantation of seedlings, and a fish bone pattern of canals was utilized. This fishbone design was shown to be a more efficient method of facilitating tidal flushing than the rectangular pattern used by the Forest Department. Thus, this technique has...Eritrea: The Manzanar Project — Mangrove Afforestation near Massawa
Country: Eritrea
Abstract: The object of the Manzanar Mangrove Initiative is to create whole new forests of mangrove trees in vast areas of the world where mangrove trees do not grow at the present time. This will contribute to alleviating poverty in different parts of the world and to diminishing the threat of global warming. Poverty would be alleviated by creating a renewable resource - mangrove trees, which produce valuable timber--and by enriching the fish populations of adjacent seas. The mangrove forests would fix...USA: Florida: Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan
Country: United States of America
Abstract: The Everglades was an immense ecosystem that once covered about 3,000,000 acres in Florida. Originally, the hydrology of the area was such that a shallow sheet of water flowed through sawgrass and nourished wetlands. In 1948, the government began to drain the wet areas, erected levies, and dug canals in order to clear room for agriculture and cities. This alteration controlled flooding and created land usable by humans but unfortunately had a number of negative side effects including:...Philippines: Mangrove Restoration in Cogtong Bay (Central Visayas Region)
Country: Philippines
Abstract: This project was undertaken to avert resource degradation in Cogtong Bay and promote a more sustainable coastal resource management strategy in order to safeguard vital fisheries for communities along the bay. The project involved both a program of interventions and a process of capacitating communities to undertake their own development and assume responsibility for the conservation of their own productive resources. Community-based coastal resource management recognizes that the coastal...Ecuador: Mangrove Restoration in Muisne
Country: Ecuador
Abstract: This project of the Fundación de Defensa Ecológica (Ecological Protection Foundation - FUNDECOL) of Ecuador aimed to restore the mangroves of the Musine district in the Esmeraldas province of Ecuador. The project benefited the communities of traditional users who use the mangroves every day for the fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and timber that comprise the primary source of income and food for their families. Indiscriminate cutting of trees in the mangroves, caused by the uncontrolled...USA: Idaho: West Page Swamp Wetland Restoration Project (Bunker Hill)
Country: United States of America
Abstract: The West Page Swamp wetland restoration project lies within the Bunker Hill, Idaho superfund site. This individual restoration project was set up as a research site to evaluate the use of a cap of biosolids (including compost, wood ash, and wood waste) over soils contaminated by heavy metals as a result of mining. It appears that these methods are useful. These new soils limit the bioavailability of lead to plants and animals and also provide nutrients for plant growth. This site was being...Thailand: Participation of Local Communities in Mangrove Forest Rehabilitation (Pattani Bay)
Country: Thailand
Abstract: By working together with local communities in three villages around Pattani Bay, Thailand, this project aimed to restore severely degraded sites of former mangroves. The project followed an approach of combined environmental rehabilitation and socio-economic improvements, placing greater emphasis on the process than on outputs, and facilitating initiatives of the community, rather than ideas of the project team. Local ownership of the project and effective community participation were...USA: Florida: Matheson Hammock Tidal Creek Restoration (Biscayne Bay)
Country: United States of America
Abstract: This project aims to clear dead trees and debris deposited by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 from mangrove tidal passageways in Matheson Hammock Park on Biscayne Bay. Once tidal flow is restored, the mangrove forest will serve again as a vital nursery and foraging ground for young fish and many species of invertebrates. In an effort to prevent further damage to this sensitive habitat, the debris will be removed by volunteers using canoes and manual labor instead of large machinery. Replanting of red...Kenya: Mangrove Restoration at Gazi Bay
Country: Kenya
Abstract: Our study serves as an experimental test of intercropping in mangroves, and is examining the effects of species mixing on the soil and the fauna, including crabs and fish, present in the stands. The degraded mangrove areas of Gazi will be rehabilitated using a participatory approach, thus enhancing mangrove goods and services for the local community. Our work will enhance national and regional capacity and skills relevant to future mangrove restoration efforts.USA: Illinois: Emiquon Wetland Restoration Project
Country: United States of America
Abstract: The Emiquon Wetland Restoration Project is a large-scale project that aims to restore approximately 7,100 acres of land owned by the Nature Conservancy. Once, this land was floodplain on the Illinois River, but in the early 20th Century, the land was drained and turned into farmland. The Nature Conservancy and its partners want to restore to the site into a functional flood plain and also return its ability to sustain native plant, fish, and wildlife species. Once completed, this project could...Taiwan: Anping Harbor Mangrove Restoration Project at Tainan City
Country: Taiwan
Abstract: This project involved the restoration of two small areas within Anping Harbor: the Lungkang community channel and the Chienkang road mangrove protection area. At the Lungkang site, a mixture of R. stylosa propagules and nursery-reared L. racemosa seedlings was planted, and at the Chienkang site, PVC pipes were employed as an encasement for the establishment of R. stylosa propagules.USA: Minnesota: Grassy Point, St. Louis River Estuary (Duluth)
Country: United States of America
Abstract: Grassy Point is a small area of wetland where the St. Louis River meets Lake Superior. Although it is only about 100 acres of land, this restoration project is important because it is a part of the vast Lake Superior basin. Grassy Point used to be home to several sawmills which unfortunately left debris behind to clog up the waters. This project eventually removed 11,000 cubic yards of wood debris from the site and reformed several channels during 1994-1996. Debris removal helped the ecosystem...Thailand: Mangrove Restoration at Klong Ngao in the Ranong Biosphere Reserve
Country: Thailand
Abstract: After a history of commercial exploitation the mangroves along the Klong Ngao tidal creek have been assigned conservation status within a new Ranong Biosphere Reserve established in 1997 on the Andaman Sea coast of southern Thailand. Over the past 12 years, several areas of mangrove destroyed or degraded by wood harvesting, tin mining and aquaculture, have been rehabilitated on a pilot basis by planting monocultures of mangrove seedlings using four common local species (Rhizophora apiculata, R....Venezuela: Mangrove Restoration in Laguna de la Restinga National Park (Margarita Island)
Country: Venezuela
Abstract: This project, entitled Migratory Neotropical Birds and the Restoration of the Coastal Mangroves of Venezuela, is conducted by the organization Provita and seeks to restore 49 acres (20 hectares) of mangroves in Laguna de la Restinga National Park. The mangroves are located along the coastal plain of the central isthmus of Margarita Island, in the most important area of the island for threatened migratory aquatic birds. The project aims to replicate in La Restinga a very successful wetlands...Kenya: Community Mangrove Rehabilitation, Conservation and Sustainable Management in Tsunza Bay
Country: Kenya
Abstract: Through its grassroots community work in Tsunza Bay, Kenya, the Tsunza Conservation and Development Programme (TCDP) is working to restore degraded mangroves and promote sustainable management and utilization of these resources as a means of ensuring future livelihood activities. The initiative is comprised of three distinct components: the rehabilitation of degraded mangrove forest areas, the raising of villagers' awareness through training and information dissemination, and community-based,...