Evaluation of the Efficacy of SAV Restoration Approaches in Chesapeake Bay

The Bay Program has fallen far short of its proximate SAV goal of direct restoration of 1,000 acres of SAV. Further, it is unclear whether or not direct restoration has or could advance the overall goal of achieving 185,000 acres of SAV bay wide. Direct restoration was originally proposed as a strategy for increasing SAV abundance because new beds were thought to have the potential to “kick-start” seagrass restoration by providing seed sources and improving physical conditions for seagrass recruitment. Past SAV restoration has shown mixed results in terms of generating persistent beds and inducing new bed development, raising the question of whether or not current restoration techniques are generating sufficient returns on investment. Continued implementation of the SAV restoration strategy is contingent upon an independent assessment of its effectiveness. STAC will convene subject area experts from both within and outside of the Chesapeake Bay community to objectively review the evidence regarding the past effectiveness of SAV restoration to achieve goals and the potential for enhancing future performance.