South Bay Salt Ponds is the largest tidal wetland restoration project on the U.S. West Coast, integrating restoration with flood management. In so doing, it creates critical habitat for a variety of species and allows use by the public for outdoor activities and environmental education programs. When complete, the project will restore 15,100 acres of industrial salt ponds to a rich mosaic of tidal wetlands and other habitats. The San Francisco Estuary Partnership was created in 1988 by the state of California and the US EPA, involving local, state, and federal agencies, as well as NGOs, academics, and business leaders. Its work involves many multi-benefit projects that protect and restore the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary.
Moderator: Cindy Palinkas (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science)
Panelists:
- Dave Halsing (California Coastal Conservancy), Executive Project Manager, South Bay Salt Ponds project
- Donna Ball (San Francisco Estuary Institute), Lead scientist, South Bay Salt Ponds
- Heidi Nutters (San Francisco Estuary Partnership), Environmental Planner, Leads the Wetland Regional Monitoring Program
- Doug George (NOAA), Physical Scientist, Physical dynamics and geomorphology of San Francisco Bay restoration projects
This Innovations in Nature-Based Systems for Coastal Protection web panel series brings together distinguished panels of experts to discuss projects that are at the forefront of nature-based coastal hazard reduction systems in the U.S. and around the world. Scientists, engineers, and managers working on these projects will discuss successes and lessons learned, including their planning and implementation and engagement with the community.
Hosted by the NSF-sponsored Coastlines and People (CoPe) Research Coordination Network, all web panels occur noon-1:30 p.m. EST. Please register at the link above. Contact Dr. Ming Li at mingli@umces.edu, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, if you have any questions.
