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pdfReserve System Management
Plan Guidelines and Resources
February 2020
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
NOAA Office for Coastal Management
coast.noaa.gov
OMB Control No. 0648-0121
Expiration Date: XX/XX/202X
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1
Purpose of a Reserve Management Plan ................................................................................... 1
Key Changes from 2013 Reserve Management Plan Guidelines ............................................... 2
How to Use These Guidelines .................................................................................................... 2
Components of a Management Plan ......................................................................................... 3
Part I: Process and Approach for Developing or Revising a Reserve Management Plan . 5
The Process of Writing a Management Plan.............................................................................. 5
Creating a Strategy for Plan Revision.................................................................................. 5
Review and Approval Process ............................................................................................. 9
Following the Regulations................................................................................................. 12
Adaptive Management Approach to Strategic Planning ......................................................... 15
What Is Adaptive Management? ...................................................................................... 15
Why Is Adaptive Management a Good Choice for the Reserve System? ......................... 16
Key Elements of Adaptive Management .......................................................................... 16
Linking Local and National Priorities in the Context of Adaptive Management .............. 17
Considering the Impacts of Climate and Non-Climate Related Stressors ........................ 19
Preparing to Write a Reserve Strategic Plan ............................................................................ 24
Strategic Planning Process ................................................................................................ 24
Identifying Program Target Audiences ............................................................................. 24
Assessing Skills and Capacities of Reserve Programs ....................................................... 24
Developing Reserve Program Niches ................................................................................ 29
Developing Shared Vision and Mission Statements and Goals, Objectives, and Actions 30
Part II: Content of the Reserve Management Plan ...................................................... 36
Required and Optional Elements Checklist.............................................................................. 37
Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 39
Contents for This Section .................................................................................................. 39
Introduction to the National Estuarine Research Reserve System.......................................... 40
Contents for this Section .................................................................................................. 40
Introduction to the Reserve ..................................................................................................... 42
Contents for This Section .................................................................................................. 43
The Strategic Plan: Adaptive Management through Issue-Based Planning ............................ 51
Contents for this Section .................................................................................................. 51
Reserve System Program Foundations .................................................................................... 54
Contents for this Section .................................................................................................. 55
Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Administrative Plan .................................................................................................................. 62
Contents for this Section .................................................................................................. 62
Facility Development and Improvement Plan ......................................................................... 67
Contents for this Section .................................................................................................. 68
Resource Protection Plan ......................................................................................................... 75
Contents for this Section .................................................................................................. 75
Public Access and Visitor Use Plan ........................................................................................... 77
Contents for this Section .................................................................................................. 77
Land Acquisition Plan ............................................................................................................... 80
Contents for this Section .................................................................................................. 80
Resource Manipulation Plan .................................................................................................... 87
Contents for this Section .................................................................................................. 87
Restoration Plan ....................................................................................................................... 89
What Is Restoration Ecology? ........................................................................................... 89
What Is Restoration Science in the Reserve System?....................................................... 89
Contents for this Section .................................................................................................. 91
Appendices for the Management Plan .................................................................................... 94
Appendices ................................................................................................................ 95
Figures
Figure 1: Relationship of Reserve Management Plan Components ............................................... 4
Figure 2: Timeline for Review and Approval Process ..................................................................... 9
Figure 3: State of the Coast........................................................................................................... 42
Tables
Table 1: Reserve Management Plan Development Timeline ....................................................... 10
Table 2: Example Climate Stressor-Impact Links .......................................................................... 20
Table 3: SWOT Chart ..................................................................................................................... 25
Table 4: Example Objective Statements ....................................................................................... 32
Table 5: Example Performance Measures .................................................................................... 33
Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Acronyms
CE
CFR
CTP
CZMA
EA
EIS
ENOW
FEIS
FONSI
HVAC
KEEP
LEED
LID
MOU
NEPA
NERR
NERRS
NOAA
NRCS
NSC
PAC
PAR
PEA
PRISM
SMART
SOVI
STICS
SWMP
SWOT
TOTE
USDA
USFWS
categorical exclusion
Code of Federal Regulations
Coastal Training Program
Coastal Zone Management Act
environmental assessment
environmental impact statement
Economics: National Ocean Watch
final environmental impact statement
Finding of No Significant Impacts
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
K-12 Estuarine Education Program
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
low impact development
memorandum of understanding
National Environmental Policy Act
National Estuarine Research Reserve
National Estuarine Research Reserve System
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Natural Resources Conservation Service
NERRS Science Collaborative
Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction
photosynthetically active radiation
programmatic environmental assessment
Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model
specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound
Social Vulnerability Index
Spatial Trends in Coastal Socioeconomics
System-Wide Monitoring Program
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
Teachers on the Estuary
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Paperwork Reduction Act:
A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be
subject to a penalty for failure to comply with an information collection subject to the requirements of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 unless the information collection has a currently valid OMB Control Number. The
approved OMB Control Number for this information collection is 0648-0121. Without this approval, we could not
conduct this information collection. Public reporting for this information collection is estimated to be
approximately 1600 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data
sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collection. All
responses to this information collection are required to obtain or retain benefits, pursuant to the Coastal Zone
Management Act of 1972, 16 USC Chapter 33. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect
of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden to the Office for Coastal Management
(OCM), attention Liz Mountz at [email protected].
Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Introduction
The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS or Reserve System) is a network of 29 areas
representing different biogeographic regions and estuarine types within the United States that are
protected for long-term research, monitoring, education, and coastal stewardship. Established by the
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, the Reserve System is a partnership program
between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the coastal states.
As part of this partnership, federal regulations require reserves to have a NOAA-approved management
plan that is updated every five years (15 C.F.R. Part 921). Reserve System management plans serve as
the foundation and guide for reserve activities. NOAA works with each reserve to support the
development and approval of its management plan, and to ensure compliance with federal regulations
and alignment with national priorities and programs. These guidelines reflect the Reserve System
regulatory requirements for management plans, as well as guidance for system-wide programs, and are
not intended to create new requirements.
These guidelines are organized into two parts. Part I provides information about the process and
timeline for writing a management plan and provides a suggested framework and preparatory steps for
writing an integrated strategic plan as part of completing the management plan. Part II provides specific
information required in each component of the plan, including questions to promote thinking about
current status and opportunities, required and optional elements, case studies, references, tools, and
resources.
Purpose of a Reserve Management Plan
Reserves must plan for the continued protection and use of the reserve for research, education, and
public access, particularly when faced with anthropogenic and natural stressors. A comprehensive
management plan provides a foundation for addressing the challenges of protecting and managing a
reserve. Therefore, the purpose of a reserve management plan is to
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Provide the vision and framework to guide reserve activities during a five-year period;
Present opportunities to discuss reserve niche and strategic collaborations with partners;
Communicate how the reserve is addressing priority coastal management issues through its
stated goals, objectives, and strategies;
Highlight reserve priorities and staff capabilities to address those priorities;
Demonstrate how Reserve System programs are locally relevant and nationally significant;
Enable the reserve and NOAA to track progress and determine opportunities for growth;
Position the reserve to acquire facilities construction and land acquisition funds; and
Meet the regulatory requirements contained in 15 CFR 921.13.
These documents can also provide valuable information for other internal and external partner
programs such as the National Estuary Program and the Coastal Zone Management Program. In some
cases, they may also serve as required management documents for state or university agencies (e.g., if
the reserve is also designated as a state-protected area).
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Key Changes from 2013 Reserve Management Plan Guidelines
Several changes have occurred in recent years that warrant updating the guidance for developing
reserve management plans: organizational changes at NOAA; development of a new strategic plan for
the Reserve System; growth of the national system; and a desire to streamline management plans so
they can be more readily updated on a five-year cycle. This updated guidance reflects the following:
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The merger of the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management and NOAA Coastal
Services Center to form the NOAA Office for Coastal Management;
The 2016 designation of the He‘eia Research Reserve in Hawaii, the 29th in the system;
Completion of the 2017-2022 Reserve System Strategic Plan, which outlines three focus areas:
water quantity and quality, habitat protection and restoration, and environmental change. The
standard description for each system-wide program has also been updated to reflect the new
NERRS strategic plan goals and objectives;
Updated guidance for sector-specific content, including merging coastal training program
strategies into an expanded management section and clarification of required versus optional
elements; and
New NOAA guidance for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, which affects
certain elements of the management plan process, such as boundary expansions.
How to Use These Guidelines
These guidelines are organized into two parts.
Part I provides information to help reserves as they prepare to write or update their management plans,
with particular focus on strategic planning. It includes questions to promote thinking about current
status and opportunities. It also includes information about the process, timeline, and responsibilities
for the reserve and NOAA in developing the plan. It is an essential reference for new managers, for new
reserves developing their first management plan, or for reserves planning a substantial revision to the
strategic plan element of their management plan.
For reserves doing a routine update of their plan, with no major organizational or other substantial
changes since the last revision, the information in Part I on process, timeline, and roles will be most
relevant.
Part II provides specific information to support development of each component of the plan and is an
essential resource for all reserves developing or updating a management plan. It includes guidance on
required and optional elements for each section of the plan, case studies, references, tools, and
resources.
NOAA will use the required and optional elements described in this section as a guide when reviewing
management plans. Each management plan revision should be a close collaboration between NOAA and
the reserve. The revision process should begin with a discussion between the NOAA liaison and the
reserve manager to discuss this guidance, the approach to the plan, and the timeline for completing the
plan.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Components of a Management Plan
Reserve System federal regulations (15 C.F.R. Part 921.13) prescribe information that is required as part
of each reserve’s management plan. Management plans must describe the reserve’s most pressing
coastal management issues; goals, objectives, and actions for addressing those issues; plans for
administration, research, education and interpretation, public access, construction, acquisition, and
resource protection; and restoration and habitat manipulation, if applicable. They also must include a
memorandum of understanding between NOAA and the state agency.
Required and optional components for management plans are listed below. Guidance for each required
component can be found in Part II: Content of the Reserve Management Plan.
Required Components
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Optional Components
Executive Summary
Introduction to the Reserve System
Reserve Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
Program Foundations*
– Research and Monitoring Plan
– Education and Interpretive Plan
– Coastal Training Plan
Administrative Plan
Facility Development and Improvement Plan,
including Construction Plan
Resource Protection Plan
Public Access and Visitor Use Plan
Acquisition Plan
Resource Manipulation Plan (If applicable)
Restoration Plan (If applicable)
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Appendices:
• Memorandum of Understanding between State Host
Agency and NOAA
• All current memoranda of understanding between Land
Managers within the reserve
• Federal Consistency Determination
• Public Involvement and Comments
• Environmental Compliance Documentation
* See “Reserve System Program Foundations” chapter
for options regarding organization of this material.
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Volunteer Plan
Vessel and Vehicle Plan
Communications Plan
Contingency or Hazard Response Plans
Special Area Plans
Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Figure 1, below, illustrates the relationship between reserve management plan components that is
necessary to meet reserve target audience needs.
• “Introduction to the National Estuarine Research Reserve System” and “Introduction to the
Reserve” provide context for all subsequent components of the plan.
• The reserve strategic plan, which includes reserve goals, objectives, and actions, is at the heart of
the management plan.
• Reserve people (i.e., administration), infrastructure (i.e., facilities), and the management
authorities that protect the reserve serve as foundations for establishing and accomplishing goals
and objectives.
• Reserve research and monitoring, education, training, and stewardship sectors work together in
an integrated fashion to support implementation of the strategic plan.
• Stewardship functions are captured within the research and monitoring, resource protection,
public access, and land acquisition components, as well as in the optional restoration and resource
manipulation components.
• The “Reserve System Program Foundations” component captures information for each systemwide program, including context, capacity, delivery, needs, and opportunities.
Finally, it should be noted that reserve programs operate within the context of the Reserve System and
state agency priorities that are relevant to the reserve. Evidence of alignment with these priorities
should be apparent throughout the plan.
Figure 1: Relationship of Reserve Management Plan Components
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Part I: Process and Approach for Developing or Revising
a Reserve Management Plan
Part I provides information regarding the process, timeline, and approach for writing a management
plan, including creating and implementing a strategy for plan revision, confirming priorities and
achieving integration, engaging stakeholders, tips for writing the strategic plan component, and
guidance and resources for considering climate-related impacts where relevant.
A process map and timeline is included that outlines steps and staff involved. Federal requirements
include federal consistency, environmental compliance, public involvement, and the approval process.
This section is a critical resource for reserve managers who have not yet led a management plan update,
but it is also a helpful refresher for those who have already gone through this process.
The Process of Writing a Management Plan
Creating a Strategy for Plan Revision
Before beginning the management plan revision, reserves should have a strategy for
• Determining whether a routine update or major revision of the strategic plan and/or
management plan is warranted;
• Determining or reviewing primary coastal management issues and reserve and program niche
and impacts;
• Interacting with the public throughout the management plan revision process; and
• Identifying roles and responsibilities for completing the plan.
A minor or routine update may be appropriate if the reserve did a complete an update of its strategic
plan as part of the management plan revision approximately five years ago. In this case, the reserve
could focus on updating the existing management plan to reflect actions completed; new planned
actions (including new facilities or acquisition projects foreseen in the next five years); or shifts to
program activities or priorities based on recent surveys, evaluations, needs assessments, or feedback
from advisory committees. For minor or routine updates, reserves should focus primarily on Part 2 of
Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources, but also refer to the process guidance in
Part 1 of these guidelines.
A major or comprehensive revision of the management plan would be appropriate if it has been
approximately 10 years or more since the reserve last updated its strategic plan or if the reserve has
experienced a significant change (e.g., new manager, organizational change between or within lead
agency, or shift in state or agency priorities) that affects its strategic direction. In this case, a more
robust strategic planning process that engages key stakeholders and staff would be warranted to affirm
or refine the reserve’s vision, mission, overarching goals, and objectives. The revision would also focus
on updating the plan content to reflect actions completed, new planned actions, and any shifts resulting
from recent surveys, evaluations, assessments, or advisory committee feedback. For a major revision,
reserves should focus on Part 1 of these guidelines, as well as on Part 2.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
The next section, “Adaptive Management Approach to Strategic Planning”, provides a list of
considerations to help guide reserves in identifying the coastal management issues relevant to the
reserve that also support national priorities.
Managing the Process
Once the reserve has determined whether a minor update or major revision is warranted, its staff
should determine how they will manage the process and what type of support may be needed. Reserves
may develop their plans in-house or through a contract, or a combination of both. Each approach has
advantages and disadvantages.
If reserves choose to develop the plan without outside support, they have complete control over the
process and the quality. However, it is very time-consuming for the entire staff. To ensure a smooth
process, reserves should assess whether their staff has the appropriate skills (writing, editing, project
management, facilitation) and the time to dedicate to the project. The plan will benefit from a lead that
establishes clear expectations and consistent writing assignments, and keeps the group working toward
an agreed-upon timeline. If chapters are to be written (or updated) by separate staff members, establish
a common outline for those chapters before beginning to write and make sure an editor or the plan lead
will unify the document into a consistent style and voice.
Contracting out part or all of the process could save reserve staff time. Reserve staff members will still
have to dedicate a lot of time to providing necessary content and perspectives. If the reserve is not
satisfied with the contractor, the process could be expensive and unproductive. It is important to
interview contractors ahead of time, be clear about what the reserve needs help with (is it facilitating
the strategic thinking, writing, editing, graphical support, etc.), and make sure contractors have the
expertise to support those needs.
Confirming Reserve Priorities and Niche
The first step in revising a management plan is to establish or update the priorities that reflect the
reserve’s unique niche and complement other management efforts in the area. To do this,
1. Review existing state or agency priorities, the Reserve System Strategic Plan, site-specific needs
assessments, program strategies, site profiles, and other planning documents.
2. Use existing advisory groups or set up a Management Plan Advisory Group to ground-truth
coastal management issues and niche.
3. Use surveys or focus groups with thought leaders, the surrounding community, key partners,
and others to determine coastal management issues and niche.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Narragansett Bay Reserve: Finding Their Niche
At the start of their 2010 management plan development process, the Narragansett Bay Research
Reserve conducted a survey of the public and ran a series of focus groups with key partners to provide
input on the niche of the reserve in the watershed. For a description of the process and information
about the questions the staff used, see the appendix in the reserve’s 2010 management plan.
(coast.noaa.gov/data/docs/nerrs/Reserves_NAR_MgmtPlan.pdf)
Planning Strategically
After identifying its priority issues and niche, the reserve should identify the desired impact reserve
programs will make during the five years that the plan is in effect. Many tools are available to help
organizations think strategically about where they want to be and what they want to change. Examples
familiar to reserves include SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis, logic
models, structured decision-making, and issue-based planning. NOAA encourages reserves to research
different options for approaching strategic planning, and to choose one appropriate for the reserve.
Basic steps in the process are included within the “Preparing to Write a Reserve Strategic Plan” section
of these guidelines.
Reserve strategic planning processes should result in the development of goals that identify how the
reserve will influence the priority coastal management issues of the local area by using and
strengthening existing programs to address gaps and needs. The strategic plan component of the
management plan should not be a list of current reserve activities. Reserves should articulate desired
impacts and achievable actions using a set of goals, objectives, and strategies. This is often a challenging
process, and may benefit from facilitation expertise. It is important to involve staff and key partners, as
appropriate, in this process.
Padilla Bay Reserve: Program-Based Strategic Planning
The Padilla Bay, Washington, management plan is organized by foundational program chapters.
Those chapters are linked to priority coastal management issues identified in the beginning of the
plan through the use of tables, which show how the reserve’s programs align to support its core
goals and objectives, as well as the five coastal management issues identified as the focus for 20162020. (coast.noaa.gov/data/docs/nerrs/Reserves_PDB_MgmtPlan.pdf)
Achieving Integration
If reserve strategic goals are focused on the impact the reserve will have on priority coastal
management issues in the next five years, those goals are likely to require the effort of many staff
members in a coordinated way.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
While NOAA regulations require plans for research, monitoring, and education, reserves are encouraged
to create a strategic plan that shows how an objective is accomplished by multiple sector-specific
actions or strategies. As long as actions are associated with a sector or multiple sectors, this approach
meets the regulations. If reserves start with the goals related to the coastal management issues and
then think about how foundational programs and staff support those goals, there is a higher chance of
being able to illustrate connections between your coastal management issues and foundational
programs.
South Slough Reserve: Issue-Based Strategic Planning
The South Slough, Oregon, management plan for 2017-2022 is organized around three priority issue
areas: climate change, habitat protection, and invasive species. The three priorities are not sector
based. Rather, the research, education, coastal training, stewardship, public involvement, and
administration programs of the reserve work in a fully integrated fashion to address the reserve’s
priorities. Each of the goals, objectives, and actions outlined in the strategic plan has a symbol to
indicate the lead or co-lead sectors for the item, with other programs contributing as well.
(coast.noaa.gov/data/docs/nerrs/Reserves_SOS_MgmtPlan.pdf)
Engaging Stakeholders
It is important to involve key stakeholders in the management plan development and revision at
appropriate stages throughout the process. Key stakeholders include the people who can help the
reserve accomplish its goals, close working partners, groups that may be doing similar or related work,
and the reserve’s biggest supporters or detractors. Involving the reserve’s existing advisory boards or
creating new ones specifically for this task can help reserves refine their local role, engage the public,
guide programs, tap into local expertise , and identify duplicative efforts or opportunities to partner and
increase effectiveness. Be explicit with advisory board members about their role, time commitment, and
how their input will be used.
Engaging staff throughout the management plan process is critical to success, not only in completing the
document, but also in implementing the plan. Be clear about time expectations and deliverables with
staff in the beginning of the process, use good facilitation to make sure staff views are heard and
incorporated into the plan, and set up regular meetings or agreed-upon communication avenues to
make sure everyone stays on track and is aware of new developments. Understanding the many
demands upon staff time and creating incentives for participation will be important.
Public involvement is very useful in developing a management plan. Engaging the public throughout the
process (e.g., a kick-off public meeting, a meeting to go over a draft, or a final public comment meeting)
will ensure that people feel a part of the process and have an opportunity to comment on the direction
of the plan as it evolves and becomes more detailed. The NERRS regulations provide for when formal
public notice and opportunities to comment may be required for changes to management plans. (15 CFR
921.33). NOAA recommends that reserve staff members engage with NOAA early in the management
plan revision process to determine what notice and comment opportunities may be required. If you
anticipate that contentious issues may arise, NOAA should be informed. It may be helpful to engage a
neutral facilitator or mediator who has experience with public conflict resolution.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Review and Approval Process
Timeline
Developing or revising a management plan should take no more than 12-18 months. Revised
management plans should be approved by NOAA on or before the previous plan’s expiration date, which
is five years after the current plan’s notice of approval in the Federal Register.
The illustrative timeline in the table below lists the steps for developing or revising the plan. Reserves
are encouraged to develop a timeline for the management plan revision that includes these steps and
any other steps needed to meet local and state requirements. A timeline template is available on the
NERRS Intranet to help with this task. NOAA will be a partner in completing the management plan, so all
correspondence and progress should be documented by both NOAA and the reserve to ensure
continuity of operations, regardless of staff turnover.
The plan is considered complete and ready for approval after all NOAA comments on the draft have
been addressed, as well as any public comments, if applicable. NOAA will then issue a Federal Register
notice announcing the availability of the approved plan or send a letter of approval to the state lead
agency, with a copy to the reserve. The official management plan approval date is the day that the
Federal Register notice is published or the date NOAA signs the approval letter.
Figure 2: Timeline for Review and Approval Process
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Table 1: Reserve Management Plan Development Timeline
Action
Reviewer
SCOPING PHASE: Reserve discusses
strategy for plan development and
creates timeline for project with
NOAA liaison
Reserve
Reserve submits outline or strategy
and timeline to NOAA liaison
NOAA liaison
Variable: 12 to 18 months before
expected completion date
NOAA liaison
NOAA liaison will provide consolidated
comments within two weeks of receipt
of outline
Reserve involves stakeholders/public to
inform plan contents (at discretion of
Reserve/stakeholders
reserve)
Reserve identifies all memoranda of
understanding (MOU) that require
updating and works with partners to
update
Reserve
Reserve develops/updates chapter
content for the plan
Throughout the revision process
Variable
Program partners
Note: the MOU between the state host
agency and NOAA should follow the
NOAA (if applicable): NOAA liaison
template (on the NERRS Intranet)
will coordinate appropriate reviewers
DRAFTING PHASE:
Time
Reserve
Stakeholders (optional)
NOAA liaison
Note: MOUs can take several months
to review due to legal review
procedures
Variable
Reserve consults with state
State coastal management program
coastal management program to
federal consistency representative
identify applicable enforceable policies
and consistency with those policies.
Reserve submits drafts of chapters for
preliminary NOAA feedback (optional)
NOAA liaison
NOAA liaison provides comments
within two weeks per chapter
submission
Reserve submits complete draft of
plan to NOAA electronically
NOAA liaison
NOAA liaison will provide consolidated
comments within two months of
receipt of draft. Review of training
chapter by Coastal Training Program
Oversight Committee may require an
additional 2-4 weeks, for a total of ~1012 weeks.
NOAA sector leads for research and
monitoring, education, training, and
stewardship
General Counsel/Oceans and Coasts
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Action
Reviewer
Time
Reserve submits complete draft to
state agency for review, and
State agency representatives
incorporates changes into updated draft
Variable
NOAA and reserve manager/staff
discuss comments on plan and resolve NOAA liaison
outstanding questions and issues based Reserve manager/staff
on NOAA, state agency, and state
coastal zone management plan reviews
Variable
CLEARANCE AND APPROVAL PHASE:
Reserve submits updated draft that
addresses comments for NOAA
clearance
NOAA liaison
NOAA program lead
NOAA conducts National Environmental NOAA liaison
Policy Act (NEPA) analysis of plan and
MOU and prepares NEPA documents
Office for Coastal Management
environmental compliance (NEPA)
coordinator
NOAA formally submits a federal
consistency determination to the state
coastal management program
NOAA typically prepares a Federal
Register notice providing a 30-day
public comment period on the draft
plan
Reserve simultaneously prepares
a similar notice for 30-day public
comment period and posts draft plan
to reserve website (posted draft must
include MOU between NOAA and host
agency)
Reserves are encouraged to hold a
public meeting to brief stakeholders on
the management plan, concurrent with
30-day comment period
Variable
Two to four weeks
NOAA liaison
Coastal Management Program
representative
NOAA liaison
NOAA program lead
Reserve manager/staff
Reserve manager/staff
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Three months
Two to four weeks
Same week as above
One day
Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Action
Reviewers
After the 30-day comment periods,
reserve addresses all comments
received and creates an appendix to
plan that outlines how comments were
addressed. NOAA amends, as
applicable, the environmental
compliance documentation
Reserve manager/staff
Reserve posts final plan on reserve
website; NOAA posts final plan on
NERRS website
Reserve manager/staff
NOAA finalizes NEPA documentation
Office for Coastal Management NEPA
coordinator
NOAA prepares Federal Register notice
announcing the approval of the plan
and sends to Federal Register for
publication
NOAA liaison
NOAA notifies reserve and leadership
of reserve’s state host agency or
university of the plan’s approval
NOAA liaison
NOAA liaison
Time
Reserve and NOAA work together to
address comments within one month of
receipt of comments
Office for Coastal Management
NEPA coordinator
One day
NOAA liaison
NOAA division chief
Two weeks
Two to four weeks
Office for Coastal Management director
NOAA program lead
One week
Following the Regulations
Specific requirements involved in revising a management plan include MOUs, NEPA, federal consistency,
and the public involvement and plan approval processes, as follows:
Memoranda of Understanding
A memorandum of understanding is required between the state and NOAA to formalize the federalstate relationship and demonstrate the long-term commitment by the state to maintain and manage
the reserve in accordance with Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1461,
and applicable regulations. The MOU should be reviewed periodically to ensure it is up to date. A
template for the MOU between NOAA and the reserve host agency can be found in the
“Management Plan” section of the NERRS Intranet.
Additionally, reserves must include all other necessary MOUs in the plan (15 CFR 921.13 (a)(11)).
Examples include those agreements between the state agency and other entities that manage land
within the reserve. These agreements should ensure that all lands within the reserve are managed
for the purposes by which the reserve was established and management activities are coordinated.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Federal Consistency
Every reserve in a state that has a federally approved coastal management program must include in
the final management plan a determination that the reserve’s plan is consistent to the maximum
extent practicable with that program (15 CFR 921.4(b), .13 (a), and .30(b)). To this end,
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Reserves are encouraged to work with their state’s coastal management program during
development of the plan to identify any state enforceable policies that apply to the reserve’s
proposed work and ensure that the plan is consistent to the maximum extent possible with the
enforceable policies.
After a complete draft has been submitted to NOAA for review, NOAA will formally initiate a
federal consistency review by the state coastal management program. This may take the form of
a negative determination if no coastal effects are foreseen, or a consistency determination if the
revised plan includes activities that will affect any coastal use or resource of states with
approved coastal management programs.
For additional information on federal consistency, please see coast.noaa.gov/czm/consistency.
Environmental Compliance
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to undertake an assessment
of the environmental effects of their proposed actions before making decisions. The NEPA review
can result in one of three determinations:
(1) If the action does not have significant effects on the human environment, is not part of a larger
action, and there are no extraordinary circumstances, it may qualify as a categorical exclusion
(CE).
(2) If a CE is not applicable, then an environmental assessment (EA) may be prepared to analyze if
the action would have significant effects. If the EA demonstrates that the action would not have
significant effects, the decision-maker (Office for Coastal Management) must prepare a Finding
of No Significant Impacts (FONSI).
(3) If significant environmental effects may or will occur, an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) must be prepared.
In January 2017, NOAA issued new guidance for implementing NEPA (NOAA Administrative Order
216-6A), which included identification of a new categorical exclusion for certain research reserve
management plan updates. This new categorical exclusion (A5) applies to “updates to existing NERR
management plans, provided that the update does not change NERR boundaries or add or
significantly change allowable uses, uses requiring a permit, or restrictions on uses.” In order to
apply this (or any other) CE, NOAA must also consider the presence of one or more extraordinary
circumstances. An extraordinary circumstance is one in which a normally excluded action may have
significant effects warranting additional NEPA review (NAO 216-6A Companion Manual, Section
4.A.). These include, but are not limited to, adverse effects on an area with unique environmental
characteristics, highly controversial environmental effects, uncertain environmental effects, and
adverse effects on protected species (e.g., Endangered Species Act). Presence of an extraordinary
circumstance merely requires additional analysis to determine if an EA or environmental impact
statement (EIS) needs to be prepared. Reserves should work with their site liaison and the Office for
Coastal Management’s Environmental Compliance Team early in the revision scoping process to
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
determine the appropriate level of NEPA review. Early coordination is especially important for
reserves proposing a change to their boundary or significant changes to uses, or when the presence
of extraordinary circumstances is likely to require an EA or EIS.
Because boundary changes or changes to allowable uses may require further NEPA review, such as
development of an EA or EIS, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management determined that boundary
expansions will generally be addressed outside of the management plan revision process. There may
be some exceptions if the expansion area has already been the subject of NEPA analysis, for
example, in the case of some in-holdings covered in the reserve’s original Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS).
Please note that, even if a reserve’s management plan revisions are categorically excluded from
further NEPA review, there may be components of the plan that potentially require additional
assessment if and when funded by NOAA. These include all construction activities (including trail
development), land manipulation activities, invasive species control activities, restoration activities,
land acquisitions, and certain research or monitoring activities, especially if they involve habitat
disturbance or disruptions to the water column. Each operations, construction, and land acquisition
award will be assessed for environmental compliance and may require additional topic-specific
environmental assessments.
NOAA prepares a memorandum documenting the application of a CE. This memo will be completed
by the Office for Coastal Management’s Environmental Compliance Team during the final clearance
review of the final management plan. If NOAA determines that additional NEPA review is required,
the Office for Coastal Management will work with the reserve to prepare the necessary analysis, and
prepare a public notice and comment plan. Preparation of an EA or an EIS should occur in parallel
with the drafting of the management plan, and public notice of the EA can be accomplished using
the existing public notice process required under the Reserve System regulations. Additional public
notice opportunities are required for the scoping phase, and for the draft and final EIS/management
plan. Additional resources on NEPA can be found at nepa.noaa.gov.
Public Involvement
Community members are important constituents and partners to reserves. When revising
management plans, it is important to develop a public involvement strategy to engage the
community in the reserve’s work, seek their advice and expertise in its programming, and identify
any potential conflicts. Ideally, public input would be sought at several points in the process of
developing a management plan.
NERRS regulations provide that NOAA may require notice and comment before approving a
boundary change or major change in a management plan and that NOAA will approve changes by
publishing a notice in the Federal Register (15 CFR 921.33). NOAA will generally publish a notice of
availability of each draft management plan in the Federal Register for a 30-day public review and
comment period, but may opt not to do so in the case of a minor routine plan revision. If NOAA
publishes a public notice, the reserve is responsible for publishing an equivalent notice in the local
media to provide a concurrent 30-day public comment period on the draft plan. In the event an EIS
is needed, public notice and comment is required for scoping and for the draft EIS. (15 CFR 1501.7;
15 CFR 1503.1).
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Reserves are encouraged to hold a public meeting during the scoping phase or during the public
comment period. If comments are received during the public review comment period, the reserve
should address them, as is reasonable, in the plan. Response to these comments and a description
of the public process should be included as an appendix of the final plan (see template in the
“Management Plan” section of the NERRS Intranet).
Approval Process and Compliance
The plan is ready for approval after comments from NOAA and the public have been addressed.
NOAA will issue a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of the approved plan. The
publication date of this notice is considered the official approval date for the management plan.
NOAA will also send a letter to the reserve and lead agency notifying them of the approval date. The
plan is valid for five years from the approval date. The approval letter and Federal Register notice
are filed at NOAA. Approved management plans should be made available on both the reserve’s and
NOAA’s NERRS website.
Adaptive Management Approach to Strategic Planning
The Reserve System addresses complex coastal management issues by integrating and applying
research, education, training, and stewardship expertise within the current network of 29 protected
areas. With its current strategic plan (2017-2022), the Reserve System is focusing investment and
expertise to address environmental change, water quality and quantity, and habitat protection and
restoration challenges. These nationally significant issues require specific and strategic local response
best achieved through adaptive management, whereby improved understanding of resources leads to
improved management choices and ultimately improved protection of the resources. (Williams and
others, 2009) This section describes the elements of adaptive management and its relevance for
reserves when conducting strategic planning now and into the future.
What Is Adaptive Management?
Adaptive management is “a decision process that promotes
flexible decision-making that can be adjusted in the face of
uncertainties as outcomes from management actions and
other events become better understood,” as defined by the
National Research Council. It is a structured approach for
improving resource management by learning from these
outcomes. (Sexton and others, 1999)
15
“Ecosystems are not only
more complex than we
think; they’re more complex
than we can think.”
– Egler
Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Why Is Adaptive Management a Good Choice for the Reserve System?
The Reserve System has a mandate to protect and preserve estuarine environments for specific
purposes and is well suited and designed to monitor and apply knowledge in a long-term capacity to
improve coastal management. The Reserve System’s place-based network provides an ideal platform
for iterative decision-making whereby clear objectives can
be identified, monitored, and adapted. Furthermore,
reserves are well suited to undertake this approach given
“Knowledge has to be
the criteria and key elements discussed in the next section.
improved, challenged, and
We have a mandate, mission, and institutional capacity to
increased constantly, or it
address many of the pressing coastal issues, such as climate
vanishes.”
change, that create implicit uncertainty in environmental
conditions and hence require a flexible approach to dealing
– Drucker
with them.
Key Elements of Adaptive Management
When applying an adaptive management approach, two key conditions should be met: (1) there must be
a necessary mandate to take action in the face of uncertainty and the problem must be important
enough to require action of some kind; and (2) there must be institutional capacity and commitment to
sustain an adaptive program that includes long-term measurement and evaluation of outcomes. (Lee,
1993; Wilhere, 2002) In addition to these two overarching conditions, there are additional elements or
conditions for adaptive management that must be in place to be successful. (Williams and others, 2009)
These include the following:
1. Adequate baseline understanding and assumptions about the system being managed as a
foundation for learning. From this understanding, appropriate management objectives and
actions can be determined.
2. Clear and measureable management objectives should be identified to measure progress and
understand when it is appropriate to re-evaluate actions.
3. Opportunities to select from a range of management actions to meet objectives. The use of
current information based on prediction rather than assumption to make these determinations
is important in an uncertain environment. Actions should be multidisciplinary and participatory,
and should be evaluated for impacts and consequences. Additionally, where feasible, it is
important to explain uncertainty using testable models—conceptual, qualitative, or
quantitative, depending on capacity.
4. Mechanisms for incorporating learning to inform future actions should be used throughout the
process. This assumes that the process, institutions, and actions themselves are flexible enough
to account for learning and the application of that knowledge. It is ideal when responses to
management actions can be assessed before a decision about the next management action is
made. Organizations must monitor, assess, and re-evaluate.
5. Monitoring that can be established and maintained to evaluate outcomes of actions. Adaptive
management requires measuring the response to actions taken to determine if the program is
on track to meet objectives or needs to re-evaluate actions.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
In order to create informed objectives, it is important to understand the baseline conditions and actions
that have brought the system to its current state. Reserves have resources (e.g., ecological
characterizations, System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP) data and syntheses, and stakeholder
information from education and Coastal Training Program activities) that provide a baseline of
information to create measurable objectives, implement management strategies, monitor and assess
their efficacy, communicate success or challenges, and re-evaluate to determine subsequent
management actions. Flexibility is important in the decision- making process where management
actions are re-visited in response to measured outcomes. (Doremus and others, 2001)
Linking Local and National Priorities in the Context of Adaptive Management
Using management plans and the concept of adaptive management is contingent on knowing the
context of what you want to achieve in terms of the local reserve priorities and how they relate and
contribute to the priorities of the state agency and the Reserve System. These priorities provide the
context for reserve planning and contribute to work that is complementary, not duplicative, of other
state and local programs. More information about defining the reserve’s niche within the context of
local, state, and national priorities is identified in the next section “Preparing to Write a Reserve
Strategic Plan.”
The questions below, as well as the information above on adaptive management, are good starting
places to help the reserve conceptualize the scope and scale of the management plan and to begin
preparing the reserve to identify niche, goals, and objectives.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What are the expectations, mandates, and important goals of the state partner?
What are the critical ongoing or existing local estuarine environmental issues that are not
covered by the partner goals?
What are the local emerging issues or threats that are likely to become increasingly
important in the next five years?
What science, education, training, stewardship, or leadership is needed to address the
most pressing local issues relevant to the reserve?
Who else is working on these issues near the reserve?
What are the working relationships with key state programs such as the coastal
management program on these issues?
What topics and functions are appropriate for the reserve to work on, given staff strengths,
limitations or constraints, infrastructure, resources, and state partner priorities?
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Waquoit Bay Reserve: Aligning National and Local Priorities
The 2017-2022 Reserve System Strategic Plan describes three areas for strategic focus and
investment, including water quality. For Waquoit Bay, this national priority is also a local
priority, specifically nitrogen pollution. The communities surrounding Waquoit Bay are facing
difficult decisions as they grow. Current septic systems are not doing a good enough job
keeping nitrogen out of Cape Cod’s waters; and this is leading to water pollution that threatens
the environment, quality of life, and the livelihood of this tourist destination. Over the past 20
years, the Waquoit Bay Reserve has attracted researchers from around the world to study the
sources and impacts of nitrogen in the bay through NERRS-funded research projects and
reserve-led monitoring focused on this topic. Reserve-led research and synthesis of research
has contributed to a wealth of information and new questions. Reserve K-12 education
programs, community education programs, and the Coastal Training Program have focused on
communicating the science of nitrogen pollution to the public and are focusing on what people
can do as citizens or as decision-makers to be a part of developing or implementing the
solution. Integrated work by staff at the reserve is addressing a locally important coastal
management issue that contributes directly to the national priorities of the system. To learn
more, visit waquoitbayreserve.org.
The current Reserve System Strategic Plan focuses its core strengths of research, stewardship,
education, and training on three national priorities—environmental change, habitat protection and
restoration, and water quality and quantity. Because of the state-federal partnership inherent in the
Reserve System, management plans must articulate both how reserves address local coastal
management issues and how local work also contributes to the national system.
Some of the Reserve System’s strategic objectives will be achieved through coordinated national
programs, like the System-Wide Monitoring Program. Others represent a collective vision for the work
individual reserves do, such as implementing research projects that use reserves as sentinel sites for
detecting and understanding the effects of climate on estuaries. It is unlikely that an individual reserve
will address all of the objectives in the Reserve System Strategic Plan, but it is expected that a significant
portion of the reserve’s work contributes to the system-wide goals and objectives.
The following questions will help reserves align their plan to address goals and objectives within the
Reserve System Strategic Plan:
•
Which NERRS strategic plan objectives and strategies can the reserve address?
•
How is the reserve addressing climate change, water quality, and habitat issues? How
are national programs like SWMP, Coastal Training Program, KEEP, the NERRS Science
Collaborative, and Davidson Fellowship contributing to filling the gaps, reducing
stressors, and meeting the needs identified by the reserve? Could they better support
local needs?
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
•
What are the critical stressors, information needs or gaps, and so forth related to
habitat, water quality, and climate at the reserve? What is the reserve’s role in
addressing those gaps, both as a whole and within the reserve’s programs (research,
education, training, and stewardship)?
Considering the Impacts of Climate and Non-Climate Related Stressors
An important component of adapting a reserve’s management plan is considering how climate-related
stressors and non-climate stressors may affect a reserve’s ecosystem or programming needs over time.
The following guidance and resources are offered to help with considering these stressors in long-term
management, particularly in the context of facilities, land acquisition, resource protection, and
restoration planning.
Historically, land acquisition, protection, and restoration planning looked at a variety of anthropogenic
and natural stressors—such as development trends, land zoning, habitat condition, or invasive species—
to support the prioritization process. Climate-related stressors had not been commonly factored into
this process. Environmental changes can also affect choices when siting or designing facilities and
selecting building materials. In 2010, NOAA developed the Programmatic Framework for Considering
Climate Change Impacts in Coastal Habitat Restoration, Land Acquisition and Facility Development
Investments, which sought to integrate climate considerations into new or updated acquisition plans
that are part of reserve management plans.
Reserves are strongly encouraged to identify a set of climate-related considerations that are relevant in
the prioritization of acquisition or restoration areas or for identifying shifts needed in protection of the
reserve’s resources. When factoring in climate stressors, the reserve should consider both short- and
long-term impacts. Some examples of climate stressors used to develop criteria might include changes in
relative sea or lake levels, changes in storm intensity, and changes in precipitation patterns. (Guide for
Considering Climate in Coastal Conservation, 2016)
When identifying and describing climate and non-climate stressors, consider the following questions:
•
•
•
•
What climate stressors are most relevant to the reserve? What are the potential short- and
long-term impacts linked to the stressors? How will previously identified acquisition or
restoration priorities be impacted by climate stressors? How can the reserve maintain the
ecological unit with key acquisitions or restoration projects? What climate criteria are important
to consider in prioritizing acquisition or restoration areas? Are there other climate change
planning documents applicable to the reserve?
What non-climate stressors are most relevant to the reserve? What are the potential short- and
long-term impacts linked to the stressors or threats? How will already identified acquisition
priorities be impacted by these stressors? What non-climate criteria are considered in the
prioritization of acquisition areas?
Are efforts already underway to address the impacts of climate change related to the reserve? If
so, are they sufficient? If not, what additional data, information, or resources would be helpful
or are needed?
Are there crucial thresholds (e.g., changes in temperature, salinity, turbidity) that when crossed
will adversely impact the reserve?
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Table 2: Example Climate Stressor-Impact Links
Stressor
Sea Level Rise
Storm Intensity
Precipitation Patterns
Short-term Impacts
Long-term Impacts
Increased inundation,
Increased coastal erosion,
Changes in salinity,
Functional changes in habitats
Disappearance of habitats,
Change in species diversity,
Functional change in habitats,
Habitat migration
Increase in storm surge,
Increased coastal erosion
Damage to key habitats,
Changes in species diversity
Increased or decreased drought,
Changes in salinity,
Changes in sediment/pollutant
loadings,
Increased flooding
Changes in water quality,
Changes in species diversity,
Functional changes in habitats
In addition to impacts, reserves should value any potential ecological benefits derived from addressing
climate and non-climate stressors. Benefits could include enabling shifts in habitat for species to adapt
or creating a refuge for sensitive species, creating habitat migration corridors, and buffering storm or
flood impacts. However, climate stressors should be evaluated over the longer term as well to
determine if those ecological benefits will be helpful well into the future.
Examples of Prioritization Criteria for Climate Change Considerations
•
Current degree of vulnerability of the area to locally relevant climate change impacts.
•
Identification of, and exposure to, future climate stressors and impacts. This could
mean a 30-year time horizon, but ideally a 50- or 100-year time horizon should be
considered.
•
Adaptive capacity of the area (i.e., ability to respond and adapt) to the identified
climate stressors, such as
o Connect habitats to allow for species migration range to adapt to changes in
temperature, salinity, or other environmental conditions
o Protect key ecosystem features that play a significant role in maintaining
system
functions and natural processes
o Conserve habitat and species diversity
o Reduce anthropogenic stressors to existing habitats and conservation values
•
Elevation (e.g., subsidence, accretion), especially important in coastal areas impacted
by sea level change
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Examples of Prioritization Criteria for Non-climate Considerations
•
Immediate threats of development
•
Resilience of the area to anthropogenic impacts that could include:
o
o
o
Provide connectivity of habitats to allow for species migration (e.g. removing barriers)
Protect key ecosystem features that play a significant role in maintaining system
functions and natural processes (e.g. natural shorelines)
Conserve habitat and species diversity (e.g. diversity ‘hot spots’)
•
Exposure to invasive species impacts over time
•
Existing zoning practices
•
Visitor uses impacts
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
References
Bormann, B.T., D.C. Lee, A.R. Kiester, D.E. Busch, J.R. Martin, and R.W. Haynes (2006). “Adaptive
Management and Regional Monitoring.” Chapter 10 in: R.W. Haynes, B.T. Bormann, and J.R. Martin
(Eds.). Northwest Forest Plan—the First Ten Years (1994-2003): Synthesis of Monitoring and Research
Results. PNW-GTR 651, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research
Station, Portland, OR.
Doremus, H. (2001). “Adaptive Management, the Endangered Species Act, and the Institutional
Challenges of “New Age” Environmental Protection.” Washburn Law Journal. Volume 41. Pages 50-89.
Elliott, G., M. Chase, G. Geupel, and E. Cohen (2004). Developing and Implementing an Adaptive
Conservation Strategy: A Guide for Improving Adaptive Management and Sharing the Learning among
Conservation Practitioners. PRBO Conservation Science, CA.
Hennessey, T.M. (1994). “Governance and Adaptive Management for Estuarine Ecosystems: The Case of
Chesapeake Bay.” Coastal Management. Volume 22. Pages 119-145.
Kessler, W., Salwasser, H., Cartwright, C. and Kaplan, J. (1992). “New Perspectives for Sustainable
Natural Resources Management.” Ecological Applications. Volume 2, number 3. Pages 221-225.
Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1941856.
Lee, K.N. (1993). Compass and Gyroscope: Integrating Science and Politics for the Environment. Island
Press, Washington, DC.
MacDonald, G. B., J. Fraser, and P. Gray (editors) (1999). Adaptive Management Forum: Linking
Management and Science to Achieve Ecological Sustainability. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources,
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.
Murray, C. and D.R. Marmorek (2004). “Adaptive Management: A Science-Based Approach to Managing
Ecosystems in the Face of Uncertainty.” In N.W.P. Munro, T.B. Herman, K. Beazley and P. Dearden
(Editors), Making Ecosystem-based Management Work: Proceedings of the Fifth International
Conference on Science and Management of Protected Areas, Victoria, BC, May, 2003. Science and
Management of Protected Areas Association, Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2010). Programmatic Framework for Considering
Climate Change Impacts in Coastal Habitat Restoration, Land Acquisition, and Facility Development
Investments.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2016). Guide for Considering Climate Chgange
in Coastal Conservation.
Stankey, G.H., R.N. Clark, and B.T. Bormann (2005). Adaptive Management of Natural Resources: Theory,
Concepts, and Management Institutions. PNW-GTR-654, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service,
Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Sexton, W.T., A. Malk, R.C. Szaro, and N. Johnson (editors) (1999). Ecological Stewardship: A Common
Reference for Ecosystem Management, Volume 3: Values, Social Dimensions, Economic Dimensions,
Information Tools. Elsevier Science, Oxford, UK.
Walters, C.J. (1986). Adaptive Management of Renewable Resources. Blackburn Press, Caldwell, NJ.
Water Science and Technology Board, Ocean Studies Board, Earth and Life Studies (2004). Adaptive
Management for Water Resources Project Planning. National Research Council of the National
Academies, The National Academies Press. Washington, D.C. Retrieved from the website:
http://books.nap.edu.
Wilhere, G.F. (2002) “Adaptive Management in Habitat Conservation Plans.” Conservation Biology.
Volume 16. Pages 20-29.
Williams, B.K., R.C. Szaro, and C.D. Shapiro (2009). Department of Interior Adaptive Management
Technical Guide. Adaptive Management Working Group.
Resources
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Training at National Conservation Training Center – Introduction to
Structured Decision-making training course provides an introduction to structured decision-making in
the context of natural resource management challenges. The training also provides hands-on experience
with decision tools, decision trees, and multiple objective ranking techniques. Their Adaptive
Management: Structured Decision-Making for Recurrent Decisions training course frames adaptive
management within the context of structured decision-making, with an emphasis on information and
tools to address uncertainty regarding responses to management actions and the value of reducing
uncertainty to improve management.
Ecosystem-Based Management Tools Network – provides focus questions, suggested reading, case
studies, approaches, tools, and links to other core elements of ecosystem-based management tools.
Adaptive Management: A Tool for Conservation Practitioners – provides steps in the process and
principles of adaptive management.
Learning for Sustainability: Adaptive Management – Learning While Doing – provides information,
guides, and selected readings on the use and application of adaptive management with uncertainty—
including selections on adaptive management increasing resilience to climate change.
NOAA’s Guide for Considering Climate Change in Coastal Conservation – provides a step-by-step
approach for incorporating climate change information into new or existing conservation plans, with a
focus on climate considerations and key resources specifically relevant to coastal areas.
NOAA’s Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer – shows how various levels of sea level rise
will impact coastal communities. The tool covers coastal areas of the U.S., including U.S. territories, and
addresses sea level rise inundation, uncertainty, flood frequency, marsh impacts, and socioeconomics.
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit – outlines a five-step planning process for vulnerability assessments. This
framework can help identify climate hazards and develop solutions to lower climate-related risks.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Preparing to Write a Reserve Strategic Plan
Strategic Planning Process
Strategic planning is a systematic process to assess an organization’s direction and priorities. A good
strategic planning process requires time and effort to gather and analyze data and trends to set a
baseline of understanding; assess target audiences related to all program areas; identify organizational
niche and priority goals, objectives, and actions; implement actions to meet objectives; and monitor and
evaluate progress toward meeting objectives.
To create an effective strategic plan that meets coastal management needs, reserves must understand
the social, economic, political, and cultural dynamics of the community in which the organization
operates, and must engage all stakeholders.
Identifying Program Target Audiences
It is important to first identify the target audiences for a program’s efforts. Target audiences may be
within or outside the host agency and composed of individuals who have the ability to influence and
support the reserve’s major resource issues. Each program at the reserve should assess their target
audiences by understanding their skills and needs, as well as the activities and products currently
employed to serve that audience. It is important to understand emerging issues and needs that these
audiences may need to address or influence. This step can be accomplished via formal needs
assessments, focus groups, surveys, and so forth. Note: The state coastal management program is a key
partner in identifying audiences and is an audience itself.
Assessing Skills and Capacities of Reserve Programs
The next step should be to assess reserve program capacities because this will affect what can be
accomplished. One way to approach this step is via a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats) analysis. Programs can answer certain questions to provide information about program
expertise, contributions to target audiences, trends, and resources the program may need in the future
to be successful (Mind Tools, 2009). Questions to inform this analysis:
Strengths: What are the reserve program’s unique characteristics and resources? What does the target
audience view as the program’s main strengths? What trends can the program build on?
Weaknesses: What does the program lack that the target audience needs? What resources do reserve
programs need to meet current target audience needs?
Opportunities: What could the reserve program offer that meets the needs of the target audience to
effectively manage coastal resources? How are other programs addressing target audience needs?
Threats: Because of program weaknesses, what threatens reserve programs? What expertise do reserve
programs lack to meet future target audience needs?
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Table 3: SWOT Chart
Internal
External
Helpful
Strengths
Opportunities
Harmful
Weaknesses
Threats
To complement this approach, NOAA has developed questions for each system-wide program to help
identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to then identify the niche for each program. Although
the questions for each program are binned similarly and contain many of the same questions to provide
a consistent approach, there are differences between the programs. Key documents for each program
are suggested as references when considering these questions.
Research and Monitoring Program
Priority Issues – What are the priority coastal management issues for the reserve that the research
program can address? How were these issues identified? Do they align with the broader issues being
identified at the reserve for this plan? Do they align with the Reserve System Strategic Plan, SWMP plan,
and other system-wide documents?
Priority Audiences – Who are the target audiences that interact with and benefit from the research
program? How were these audiences identified? What do you know about the skills, abilities, and
current level of knowledge of the target audiences?
Program Alignment and Delivery – How has or does the research program plan to adopt and adapt
system-wide research and monitoring programs (e.g., SWMP applications and habitat mapping) to
address the reserve’s priority issues and reach target audiences? What major activities will the research
program engage in to address the priority issues identified above within the next five years? How does
the research program support and align with system-wide plans and efforts (e.g., SWMP Plan, Research
and Monitoring Plan, Community Education efforts)? How does the research program currently support
reserve, coastal management program, local community, and regional science priorities? How does the
research program coordinate with and build upon other programs at the reserve and within the Reserve
System (e.g., coastal training programs, education products or programs)?
Program Needs and Gaps – What are the major program needs and gaps that may or may not be
addressed during the period of this management plan? How will these needs and gaps affect research
programming and what are the consequent impacts to the research program?
Program Impacts – What are the major impacts and outcomes that program staff envision as a result of
research and monitoring activities? How will human communities and natural ecosystems benefit from
these activities?
Current and Anticipated Partnerships - Who are the program’s partners and why does the reserve
partner with them? Who does the program hope to partner with in the future? Does the program
partner with NOAA offices? If so, please describe. If not currently partnering, are there opportunities to
build partnerships?
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Program Monitoring and Evaluation – How does the reserve evaluate the success of the research
program? What are the program’s expected outcomes?
Dissemination of Program Results – How will the reserve communicate program impacts and results?
Keep in mind the current Reserve System Research and Monitoring Database provides a mechanism for
developing a library of research projects and publications that can be shared. NOAA is also interested in
knowing about other mechanisms (e.g., conferences, classroom modules, newsletters, social media,
etc.) that can be used to disseminate program results and information beyond the audiences
immediately involved in the project.
Supporting Documents:
For guidance, reserve research and monitoring program staff can refer to the following documents:
2017-2022 Reserve System Strategic Plan, Research and Monitoring Plan, System-Wide Monitoring
Program Plan, and Reserve System Sentinel Sites Program Guidance, habitat mapping implementation
protocols, and Coastal Management Program Section 309 Assessment and Strategies.
Education Program
Program Context – What is the setting and context in which the education program operates, including
ecological and socioeconomic context? What is the geographic scope and service area of the program
(e.g., which counties or school districts)? How are changes in demographics impacting programmatic
decisions or opening new opportunities for programming? What has changed since the last update of
this plan?
Priority Issues – What are the priority issues for the reserve (including emerging issues) that the
education program can address? How were these issues identified (e.g., were any needs assessments or
evaluation reports used)? Do these priorities align with the Reserve System Strategic Plan, K-12 Estuary
Education Program, Community Education Framework, or NOAA Education Strategic Plan?
Priority Audiences – Who are the target audiences that interact with and benefit from the education
program? How were these audiences identified? How do these audiences connect to the priority issues?
What is the total population of the audience the program plans to target? What percentage of that
population does the program plan to target within the next five years? Are underserved and
underrepresented populations a target audience for education programs?
Program Alignment – How does the education program work with other sectors and the manager to
achieve the reserve’s goals and objectives? How does the education program integrate SWMP and other
reserve research? How does the education program contribute to system-wide plans and efforts (e.g.,
SWMP, Research and Monitoring, Community Education)?
Program Delivery – What major activities will the program undertake that will address the priority
issues identified above within the next five years? What type of programming will the program
emphasize and why? (Type of programs: professional development programs, students programs, public
programs, outreach programs, community education programs).
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Program Needs and Gaps – What are the major program needs and gaps that may or may not be
addressed during the period of this management plan? Which of the identified education needs are
required to address issues in the next five years? If not addressed, how will these gaps affect education
programming, and what are the resulting impacts to the education program?
Program Impacts – What are the major impacts and outcomes that will result from education activities?
How will the program measure its success?
Current and Anticipated Partnerships – What is the niche that the program has carved out within the
community? Reference any market analysis data or research done that confirms this niche. How does
education work with and build upon other programs or initiatives within, as well as outside of, the
Reserve System? Who are key Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) partners? What is the nature of these
partnerships (e.g., what role do partners play), and why does the reserve partner with them? What are
the shared goals with these partners? Does the program want to expand any strategic or training
partnerships? If so, with whom does the program hope to partner with in the next five years?
Program Monitoring and Evaluation – How does the program evaluate its success? What tools does the
program use? How does the program use evaluation data, including performance measures, in
programming and planning for TOTE or other education programming? What is the role of the reserve’s
advisory committee?
Dissemination of Program Results – How does the reserve plan to communicate program impacts and
results? How does the program engage with education practitioners outside of the Reserve System to
share results and experiences, and help advance the field of environmental education? Will the program
publish results in journals, and if so, which ones?
Supporting Documents:
NOAA recommends the following documents for guidance: 2017-2022 Reserve System Strategic Plan; K12 Estuary Education Program (KEEP) Framework document; Teachers on the Estuary Program
Description Community Education Framework Document; Education Sector Performance Measurement
Guidance; and the NOAA Education Strategic Plan 2020- 2040. All approved education program
descriptions can be found on the Reserve System intranet. Additional Reserve System Guiding
documents include the System-Wide Monitoring Program Plan and Reserve System Sentinel Sites
Program Guidance. Coastal Management reference documents include the Coastal Management
Program Section 309 Assessment and Strategies.
Coastal Training Program
Program Context – What is the setting and context in which the Coastal Training Program (CTP)
operates, including ecological and socioeconomic context? What is the geographic scope and service
area of the program?
Priority Issues– What are the priority issues (including emerging issues) for the reserve that the Coastal
Training Program can address through training or technical assistance? How were they determined? For
example, what conditions make these issues a priority? Were they identified through needs
assessments?
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Priority Audiences – Who are the target audiences that interact with and benefit from the CTP? How
were these audiences identified? How do they link to the priority issues? What future audiences might
become important over the next five years?
Program Alignment and Delivery – How does the CTP support and align with other sectors and the
manager to achieve the reserve’s goals and objectives? How does the CTP contribute to system-wide
plans and efforts (e.g., Climate Change Implementation, SWMP, Research and Monitoring, Community
Education)? What are the program’s training delivery systems, including the approaches employed in
training events? What additional training delivery systems might the program implement over the next
five years?
Program Impacts – What are the reserve’s training goals and objectives for the next five years? What
major impacts and desired outcomes and impacts does the reserve anticipate from the CTP? How do
these contribute to the reserve’s goals and objectives?
Program Needs and Gaps – Does the CTP have the capacity it needs to meet its strategic objectives? If
not, how might the reserve either increase capacity or reduce program commitments over the next five
years? What are the major program needs and gaps that may or may not be able to be addressed during
the period of this management plan? How will these needs and gaps affect potential programming and
subsequent impacts? What training gaps are identified and required to address issues in the next five
years?
Current and Anticipated Partnerships – How does the CTP work with and build upon other programs or
initiatives within, as well as outside of, the Reserve System? Who are the program’s key training
partners? What is the nature of these partnerships (e.g., what role do partners play)? What are the
shared goals? Does the program want to expand any strategic or training partnerships? If so, with whom
does the program hope to partner with in the next five years?
Program Monitoring and Evaluation – How does the program evaluate coastal training? What
tools does the program use to evaluate itself? How does the program use its evaluation data,
including the CTP performance measures, in programming and planning for the CTP? What is the
role of the CTP Advisory Committee?
Dissemination of Program Results – How does the program plan to market the reserve’s training
activities and communicate program results? Does the program use a newsletter or website to
market training activities? Does the reserve use social media to communicate? Do training partners help
advertise training opportunities?
Supporting Documents:
For guidance, reserve educational program staff can refer to the following documents: 2017-2022
Reserve System Strategic Plan, Climate Change Implementation Plan, System-Wide Monitoring Program
Plan, Reserve System Sentinel Sites Program Guidance, and Coastal Management Program Section 309
Assessment and Strategies.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Developing Reserve Program Niches
Assessing the information above allows each program to
develop its niche, which is the intersection where the
capabilities and activities of the program are uniquely suited to
meet the needs of the target audience. This information should
be shared with all reserve staff members, ideally in a meeting
where all programs are represented and can discuss how they
can work together collectively.
Reserve Niche
The unique suite of functions
the reserve provides to meet
target audience needs that
are not met by others.
Where’s Stewardship?
Due to the complexity and variability of the ways that stewardship programs are focused and operated
at each reserve, this program has not been identified as a system-wide program with a specific program
niche as identified for research, education, and coastal training. Stewardship functions are included in
the research and monitoring, resource protection, public access, and land acquisition components, as
well as in the optional restoration and resource manipulation components of a management plan. The
skills and assets of the stewardship staff are applicable and interrelated to all other components of
reserve management. Figure 1, “Relationship of Reserve Management Plan Components,” illustrates
how the functions of stewardship are manifested in the planning paradigm. Reserves should answer
similar questions for the stewardship program as those asked for research and monitoring, education,
and training.
What about Other Programs?
In Part 1 of this guidance, NOAA is only providing thought questions for those system-wide programs
with consistent processes, protocols, and evaluation mechanisms. However, NOAA recognizes that
several other programs at reserves may also contribute to this strategic planning process. It is strongly
advised that additional programs ask similar questions to determine each program’s niche. The
approach outlined above should be appropriate and flexible for each reserve’s structure.
Developing the Reserve Niche
When each program understands its niche, these program characteristics can be integrated to
develop the niche of the reserve as a whole. The programs’ combined efforts meet the needs
of a wider, more complete target audience. It is important to understand the unique role that
the reserve will play in meeting target audience needs, as there may be several local providers
offering similar products and services. It is beneficial to either collaborate with these
organizations, or to focus unique skills and services of the reserve on meeting specific target
audience needs.
Questions to inform niche development:
What will target audiences’ needs be in the future? Which target audience needs can be filled by
other organizations? Based on program strengths, which needs can the programs best meet? What
are the unique products and services the reserve offers that the target
audiences cannot get elsewhere?
NOAA’s online resource “How to Write Your Strategic Plan,” has details and a worksheet to help develop
a niche and determine which needs of the target population can be uniquely met by the reserve and
which can be met by other providers.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Developing Shared Vision and Mission Statements and Goals, Objectives, and
Actions
Once a niche is determined, the reserve will develop shared vision, mission, goals, objectives, and
actions, culminating in the strategic plan. Guidance is provided below for each of these strategic plan
components.
Reserve Vision
A vision is a description of what an organization would like to achieve or accomplish. It is intended to
guide current and future direction and so requires an understanding of the target population’s needs,
the organization’s ability to meet those needs, and the outcomes required to move toward that vision.
Vision statements are therefore very important. This guiding statement is best developed at a meeting
where participating programs can engage in a conversation about their audiences, capabilities, and
desired outcomes.
NOAA’s online resource “How to Write Your Strategic Plan,” along with guides on “Preparing to Writing
Your Strategic Plan” and “Writing Your Strategic Plan,” are helpful resources for developing a vision
statement.
Reserve Mission
A mission statement is a one- or two-sentence description of an organization’s core purpose, focus, and
target population. It is a succinct statement that describes the organization and what it does or will do,
for whom, and why. A mission is the cause, and the vision is the effect.
NOAA’s “Writing Your Strategic Plan” guide is a helpful resource for developing a mission statement.
Reserve Goals
A goal is a broad statement of what the organization plans to do or enable in the future. Goals should
advance the mission of the program. They may be written for a five-year time frame or longer, but
ultimately, they should be written so that significant progress toward meeting them can be achieved.
During a plan revision, it may be common for goals to remain the same, or to need only minor updates.
All reserve programs are encouraged to contribute their skills and expertise to developing and
accomplishing reserve goals as part of an integrated strategic planning process.
Tips for Writing Goals:
•
•
•
Goals describe a desired future state that the organization attempts to achieve.
Goals should reflect conditions that can be changed and addressed via programs.
Goals should be directional and leave room for continual improvement. Use words that identify
improvement—increase, improve, reduce, and so on.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Example Goal Statements:
•
•
•
Reduce the impact of watershed land use on reserve resources
Improve natural biodiversity within the reserve
Reduce the impact of invasive species and habitat loss on reserve biodiversity
Job Aid 2 in NOAA’s “Writing Your Strategic Plan” guide is a helpful resource for developing goal
statements.
Reserve Objectives
Objectives are specific statements of expected results that contribute to one or more goals. They are a
measuring tool for progress toward the goals and therefore are the most important statements in
strategic planning. Objectives establish the standards of achievement in terms of some measure of
improvement in existing conditions. They should be results oriented and describe the desired changes in
the target audience, resource, or organization. They should also be attainable and measurable within
the time frame of the plan.
The reserve should be able to quantitatively measure progress based on these statements in a way that
can be communicated to stakeholders and leadership. Each goal may have several objective statements.
Writing strong objectives takes judgment and skill, and devoting the necessary time and effort pays off
in better planning, better results, and effective evaluation of progress. Reserves should strive to create
SMART objectives: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. NOAA’s quick reference
on Writing SMART Objectives is a helpful resource.
Tips for Writing SMART Objectives:
• “Specific” means using strong action verbs to focus on what you want to do. Statements reflect
clearly “what” needs to done, “why” it’s important, “who” is doing it, and “when” it will be
done.
• “Measurable” means ensuring that there is a quantitative way to measure the change the
reserve wants to realize.
• “Attainable” means that they need to stretch the organization, but not so far that people lose
motivation. They should be realized within the five-year period of plan.
• “Realistic” means having the appropriate resources, including the right people with the right
skills, money, equipment, and capacity.
• “Time-bound” means they should create motivation and urgency to accomplish them within the
five-year period of the plan.
Achieving objectives will likely require several skill sets, or sector skills, to accomplish. It is advisable and
suggested that reserves designate one sector to take leadership for each objective, ensuring the
coordination of integrated, multi-sector actions and evaluation of progress. It will be important for the
objective lead to understand whether the actions are effective or alternatives are required. Certain
actions may not yield the desired result and may need to be modified as understanding of an issue
increases. Even if the reserve’s goals have not changed, objectives may need to be reviewed and
adapted over time. This is where adaptive management becomes important.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Table 4: Example Objective Statements
Who or What?
Target
Change?
Action Verb
In What?
Expected Results
By When?
Time Frame
Local community
planners
improve
their capacity to write
climate change
adaptation plans
within 1 year
Watershed management
plans
are developed to
coordinate conservation
strategies focused on
sustainable ecosystems
by 2023
Unauthorized activities
are reduced
on the trail system to
promote safe user
experiences
by 2024
Achieving objectives will likely require several skill sets, or sector skills, to accomplish. It is advisable and
suggested that reserves designate one sector to take leadership for each objective, ensuring the
coordination of integrated, multi-sector actions and evaluation of progress. It will be important for the
objective lead to understand whether the actions are effective or alternatives are required. Certain
actions may not yield the desired result and may need to be tweaked as understanding of an issue
increases. Even if the reserve’s goals have not changed, objectives may need to be reviewed and
adapted over time. This is where adaptive management becomes important.
Reserve Actions
Actions should support achievement of the objectives. An action statement explains “how” an objective
will be met. Actions may be undertaken by one or multiple sectors, but should be coordinated by the
objective lead, so that as new information arises about the impacts of the actions, management
decisions can be adjusted or maintained. Sector leads for each action should be indicated. Adaptive
management focuses on learning and adapting, through partnerships of the reserve staff, resource
managers, coastal decision-makers, and stakeholders, who learn together how to create and maintain
sustainable resource systems. It is more than monitoring activities and changing direction when failure
arises. When developing actions, several alternatives should be explored, the outcomes of these
alternatives should be predicted based on the current state of knowledge, and then, using professional
judgment, those actions that are predicted to be the most effective should be written into the plan.
During the course of the plan, evaluation of results should be ongoing to adapt when necessary.
Tips for Writing Clear Actions:
• Actions describe how a program or reserve works and what it is working on.
• Actions describe collaborations and mechanisms for achieving work products.
Example Action Statements:
• Provide training to community planners on understanding vulnerability and developing
adaptation plans focused on protecting resources within the reserve’s targeted watershed.
• Partner with landowners within the reserve to identify existing conservation strategies, their
compatibility with one another, and options for improvement.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
•
Coordinate with county land partners to place signs in high-traffic areas of the trail system to
increase public awareness of authorized activities.
Performance Measures
Performance measures track if and how well a program is meeting its objectives and ultimately its
mission. They provide data on trends and can inform future plans, policy, and program budgeting. They
provide a quantitative means to communicate those trends and progress toward objectives to key
audiences.
Reserves are required to report national performance measures developed to track Reserve System
progress, as well as reserve-specific metrics for Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) program
evaluations. While the system-wide measures and Section 312 metrics are the only performance
measures required, reserves are also encouraged to develop site-specific performance measures and
targets for reserve objectives to help quantify progress and facilitate communicating success to key
stakeholders.
Tips for Developing Practical Performance Measures:
Performance measures should help the reserve understand the key benefits of their activities to specific
audiences and should illustrate why the programs matter and to whom. It is important to have a
baseline, set targets, and identify the unit of measurement and how it will be counted. If baseline data
are not available, it may be more appropriate to collect data for a baseline than to establish measures,
so that measures can be created in the future.
Table 5: Example Performance Measures
Objective
Strategy
Performance Measure
Target
Local community
planners will
improve their
capacity to write
climate change
adaptation plans
by 2025.
The reserve’s Coastal
Training Program will
develop targeted
workshops promoting
the understanding and
use of climate change
science and monitoring,
including information
gained from the reserve
sentinel site monitoring,
to inform adaptation
activities.
Number of new
targeted workshops
that build coastal
decision-maker capacity
and promote the use of
recent research results
that address climate
change impacts and
adaptation alternatives.
Ten workshops
focused on building
coastal decisionmaker capacity to use
and apply climate
data and information
to develop adaptation
alternatives.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Resources
NERRS Management Plan Development Resources
The Office for Coastal Management has several resources to support management plan development:
• Technical support from reserve liaisons and technical services from the Learning Services
division. Strategic planning, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement assistance are available
each fiscal year, October to September, on a first-come, first-served basis. To request technical
support from Learning Services, please send an email request to [email protected].
• Resources complementing the management plan guidelines, which are available at Digital Coast
Training (detailed below).
Strategic Planning
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Needs Assessment Guide – online resource that provides instruction and step-by-step guidance
for people conducting a needs assessment
Preparing to Write Your Strategic Plan (PDF) – provides tools to gather the information needed
to assess the direction and priorities of an organization, and outline the foundational
components of a strategic plan
Writing Your Strategic Plan (PDF) – companion workbook that provides the framework to build
organizational commitment and guide the development of the strategic plan
How to Write Your Strategic Plan – online resource that provides a step-by-step process for
developing a strategic plan
Writing SMART Objectives (PDF) – provides guidance for writing a SMART objective for an
outcome
Guide for Planning for Meaningful Evaluation (PDF) – describes a seven-step process for
planning a project or program evaluation
Common Data Collection Methods for Evaluation (PDF) – provides a summary of the most
common methods for collecting data needed for project or program evaluation
Stakeholder Engagement
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction to Stakeholder Participation (PDF) – discusses some of the most important
considerations for engaging stakeholders and offers a guide to some effective techniques
Stakeholder Analysis Worksheet – worksheet to help identify an individual’s or group’s interest,
position, or other special factors for consideration
Introduction to Focus Groups (PDF) – introduces key elements and practices that will increase
the success of a focus group effort
Introduction to Survey Design and Delivery (PDF) – provides insight into the various types and
methods of survey research
Stakeholder Engagement Strategies for Participatory Mapping (PDF) – provides strategies for
help facilitators engage stakeholders in the process of identifying their resources, perspectives,
and priorities using maps
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Facilitation
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction to Planning and Facilitating Effective Meetings (PDF) – describes how to plan and
conduct an effective meeting using the proper tools and techniques
Facilitation Techniques – provides a list of key techniques facilitators use to lead successful
meeting discussions
How to Facilitate a Virtual Meeting – outlines strategies for creating virtual meetings that
efficiently attain meeting objectives
Process Agenda Template – provides guidance for facilitators and meeting leaders on creating a
productive meeting agenda
Techniques for Facilitating Virtual Meetings – offers time-tested strategies for planning and
running effective virtual meetings
Meeting Evaluation Template – provides a worksheet to use when gathering evaluation
feedback from meeting participants
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Part II: Content of the Reserve Management Plan
Part II provides specific guidance for developing content for each component of a reserve management
plan. Each section also provides supporting references, resources, and case studies to help illustrate the
content required for that component. Part II is a critical resource for all reserve managers when leading
a management plan update. Each section contains a checklist of required and optional elements
(optional elements indicated by ♦) and guidance to help you think through the type of information to
include, both for required and optional elements. For optional content, it is not expected that reserves
will necessarily answer every question.
The target length for a management plan is approximately 60-80 pages, not including appendices. The
reserve may incorporate links to foundational documents within the plan to reduce the overall size of
the plan and make it more reader-friendly.
Required components, and elements within components, may be organized to suit the reserve’s needs.
All required elements must be included in the plan and follow a logical order so that they can be easily
identified and understood. The questions provided in each section are meant to guide development of
the plan. Some may be easy to answer while others may prove more challenging. Certain elements, such
as a restoration plan or resource manipulation plan, are required “if applicable.” In other words, if the
reserve plans to undertake habitat restoration or resource manipulation activities, these sections will be
considered required components. Other optional elements, such as a volunteer plan, may be included if
required by the lead agency or if helpful to the reserve for managing the site.
Elements within the “Program Foundations” component (i.e., research and monitoring, education, and
training) may be organized in one chapter or included as separate chapters. The strategic plan should
clearly identify which sector is leading an action, and it is also suggested that a sector be identified to
lead each objective, coordinate multi-sector actions, and evaluate progress. Reserves may decide how
information within the strategic plan and “Program Foundations” element is organized.
Please also refer to Part 1, “Following the Regulations,” for information on procedural requirements for
management plan updates, including public involvement, review for consistency with the state’s coastal
management program (“federal consistency”), as well as compliance with federal environmental laws
and regulations. Also, the reserve and NOAA will need to review applicable memoranda of
understanding and update these agreements as necessary.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Required and Optional Elements Checklist
♦ indicates an optional element
Executive Summary (target ~1-2 pages)
__ Plan purpose and scope
__ Reserve context (location, acreage, state lead)
__ Boundary changes (if applicable)
__ Coastal management issues and reserve goals
__ Reserve programs overview
Coastal Training Program (8-10 pages)
__ Mandatory system-wide text
__ Program context, priority issues and audiences
__ Program capacity (staffing, resources, partnerships)
__ Program alignment and delivery
__ Needs and opportunities
__ Training-related objectives and actions
__ Monitoring and evaluation strategies
Introduction to Reserve System (~3 pages)
__ Mandatory system-wide text
Administrative Plan (~ 5 pages)
__ Organizational framework and chart
__ Staff roles, staffing needs and plan
__ Strategic partnerships
__ Advisory committees
__ Administrative objectives and actions
__ Volunteer plan ♦
__ Vessel and vehicle plan ♦
__ Communication plan ♦
__ Contingency or hazard response plan(s) ♦
__ Special area plan(s) ♦
Introduction to the Reserve (~5 pages)
__ History and local management
__ Ecological attributes
__ Social attributes
__ Archaeological and cultural resources ♦
__ Threats and stressors
__ Boundary description and map(s)
__ Boundary map
__ Core and buffer
__ Land ownership
__ Habitat types
__ Land use type
__ Targeted watershed map including land
use and land cover♦
__ Boundary change(s) since last plan and GIS
layers (if applicable)
Facility Development and Improvement Plan, including
Construction Plan (~5 pages)
__ Purpose of facilities
__ Current facilities
__ Map of facility locations
__ Facility challenges and gaps
__ Planned facilities and infrastructure
__ Climate and non-climate stressors
__ Facility project descriptions
__ Facility upgrades ♦
__ Exhibits ♦
__ Green Infrastructure ♦
__ Operations and maintenance manual as appendix ♦
__ Long-term facility plan as appendix ♦
Reserve Strategic Plan (length variable)
__ Vision and Mission
__ Priority coastal management issues
__ Goals, objectives, and actions
__ Performance measures for each objective ♦
Program Foundations (~16-22 pages total)
Research and Monitoring Plan (4-6 pages)
__ Mandatory system-wide text
__ Program context, capacities, and delivery
__ Needs and opportunities
__ Research related objectives and actions♦
__ Monitoring and evaluation strategies♦
Resource Protection Plan (~5 pages)
__ Management authorities
__ Allowable and unallowable uses
__ Uses requiring a permit
__ Map of allowable uses ♦
__ Surveillance and enforcement capacities
__ Resource protection challenges
__ Resource protection objectives and
Actions ♦
__ Monitoring and evaluation strategies ♦
Education/Interpretive Plan (4-6 pages)
__ Mandatory system-wide text
__ Program context, priority issues and audiences
__ Program capacity (staffing, resources,
partnerships)
__ Program alignment and delivery
__ Needs and opportunities
__ Education-related objectives and actions♦
__ Monitoring and evaluation strategies♦
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Public Access and Visitor Use Plan (~5
pages)
__ Current public access
__ Map of public access points
__ Public access challenges
__ Public access and visitor experience
__ Public access objectives and actions ♦
__ Monitoring and evaluation strategies ♦
Land Acquisition Plan (~5 pages)
__ Reserve acquisition context and values
__ Prioritization process ♦
__ Priority acquisition areas
__ Description of acquisition areas
__ Map of acquisition areas
__ Climate and non-climate stressors
__ Priority areas acquisition strategy
__ Tract acquisition strategy
__ Preferred methods for establishing
State control
__ Fair market value estimates
__ Estimated acquisition timeline
__ Potential acquisition partners ♦
__ Funding sources ♦
__ Current and potential partners
__ Permitting/approval requirements
__ Impacts of resource manipulation activities
__ Monitoring and evaluation strategies ♦
Restoration Plan, if applicable (~5 pages)
__ Priority restoration areas
__ Description of restoration areas/habitats
__ Map of restoration areas
__ Climate and non-climate stressors ♦
__ Prioritization process and criteria
__ Priority restoration project planning
__ Restoration project descriptions, if available
__ Acres and outcomes
__ Partners
__ Monitoring and evaluation strategies ♦
Appendices
__ Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between
State and NOAA
__ MOUs with Other Key Partners, if Applicable
__ Federal Consistency Determination
__ Response to Public Comments
Resource Manipulation Plan, if applicable
(~5 pages)
__ Current and proposed resource
manipulation activities
__ Map of manipulation activities
__ Climate and non-climate stressors
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Executive Summary
The executive summary should provide an overview of the plan, and must identify all elements as stated
in the Code of Federal Regulations 15 CFR 921.13. It should define the purpose and scope of the plan,
describe reserve context, identify priority coastal zone management issues that the reserve will address,
and provide a summary overview of the goals and objectives, as well as indicate the programs that will
be used to address the goals and objectives.
Contents for This Section
Plan Purpose and Scope
This section should illustrate the purpose and scope of the
plan and provide the national and local context for the plan.
What this section should outline:
•
•
•
The lifespan and geographic scope of the plan
The priorities, general approach, and how the
reserve will measure progress
The intersection with state, regional, and local
partner goals, plans, and programs
Reserve Context
This section should describe reserve location and
administrative structure to provide a sense of place and
context for reserve work. What this section should outline:
•
•
•
•
Executive Summary
__ Plan purpose and scope
__ Reserve context
__ Designation date and acreage
__ State agency
__ Location of reserve
__ Boundary modification since last
Plan (if applicable)
__ Priority coastal management
issues
__ Reserve niche and goals
__ Reserve programs overview
Reserve designation date, acreage, general location,
and lead state agency
Primary influences on the reserve
Reserve’s role in addressing coastal management issues and context within system
Boundary changes, if applicable, including acres added or removed, since the last management
plan
Coastal Management Issues and Reserve Goals
This section should outline the priority coastal management issues the reserve is addressing, as well as
identify the reserve’s niche and goals.
Reserve Programs Overview
This section should provide a brief overview of reserve programs and how they will broadly contribute
and coordinate to achieve the goals. (See Figure 1.)
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Introduction to the National Estuarine Research Reserve System
This section includes information about the goals of the Reserve System, how reserves are designated
and described, and how they work administratively as single units and as a system.
Contents for this Section
This section contains mandatory text that should be used verbatim in the plan to ensure a level of
consistency when discussing the Reserve System. Please note that a higher resolution of the NERRS map
is available for download on the NERRS Intranet.
(Mandatory Text Begin)
Introduction to the National Estuarine Research Reserve System
The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a network of 29 protected estuarine areas
that represent different biogeographic regions and estuarine types within the United States.
Reserves are protected for long-term research, monitoring, education and coastal stewardship.
The Reserve System, created by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, currently protects
over one million acres of estuarine lands and waters. The system is managed in accordance with
federal regulations at 15 CFR Part 921.
Each reserve has a unique boundary based on the nature of its ecosystem. The boundaries
include the land and water areas needed to protect an intact ecological unit. Reserves classify
their land and water areas as either “core” or “buffer,” which determines the level of protection
and the types of activities allowed within each area. Each reserve develops the programming
most appropriate for its location while also delivering required system-wide programs focused on
research and monitoring, education, training, and stewardship.
The Reserve System is a partnership program between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) and the coastal states. NOAA provides funding, national guidance, and
technical assistance for reserve operations and system-wide programs, facilities construction and
land acquisition, graduate fellowships, and collaborative science projects. The state partner
manages the reserve on a daily basis and works collaboratively with local and regional partners.
NOAA also leads projects that integrate data or support decision-making at the national level.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Figure X: National Estuarine Research Reserve System Map
Each reserve is required to develop a management plan that contains the goals, objectives, and
strategies for that reserve. Management plans are updated every five years, and must be
approved by NOAA. These plans enable the reserves and NOAA to track progress and realize
opportunities for growth. Each plan describes how the reserve will carry out its foundational
research, education, and training programs. Each plan also outlines administration, resource
protection, public access, land acquisition, and facility plans, as well as restoration and resource
manipulation plans if applicable. The plans also incorporate strategies designed to help the
reserve contribute to the system’s national goals. NOAA periodically evaluates reserves for
compliance with federal requirements and their approved management plan.
The most recent strategic plan for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System can be found
at coast.noaa.gov/data/docs/nerrs/StrategicPlan.pdf. It describes the following goals for the
system.
1. Protecting Places: Enhance and inspire stewardship, protection, and management of
estuaries and their watersheds in coastal communities through place-based approaches.
2. Applying Science: Improve the scientific understanding of estuaries and their watersheds
through the development and application of reserve research, data, and tools.
3. Educating Communities: Advance environmental appreciation and scientific literacy,
allowing for science-based decisions that positively affect estuaries, watersheds, and coastal
communities.
(Mandatory Text End)
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Introduction to the Reserve
Reserves must be managed with an
understanding of how the three sectors
of influence (ecosystems, communities,
and economies) intersect and impact
coastal resources (Figure 3). It is
important to provide context for reserve
strategic actions by providing information
about reserve ecosystems (ecological
attributes) and reserve communities and
economies (social attributes and cultural
resources), as well as geographic and
administrative context for the reserve. It
is imperative to understand the
inextricable link between natural
resources and humans, as it greatly
influences program management and
decision-making.
By understanding the human context, we
can better understand relationships
between humans and natural resources
and in turn use this information to develop a robust
strategic plan.
Figure 3: State of the Coast
It will also be important to understand threats and
stressors facing the reserves and how these stressors
may impact or alter these sectors and, hence, influence
strategic planning and implementation of the plan.
The target length for this section is approximately five pages. It may include links to other documents, such as
the reserve’s site profile.
The purpose of this section is to provide
• An overview of history of reserve designation and general administrative structure;
• General and brief description of the reserve’s ecological and social attributes to provide context
for the plan;
• Description of climate and climate impacts to the extent possible; and
• Description of the reserve boundary, adjacent influences, and boundary expansion (if
applicable).
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Contents for This Section
History and Local Management of the
Reserve
Introduction to the Reserve
This section should describe the impetus for and
parties involved in the designation, as well as brief
overview of process and rationale used to designate
lands included within the reserve. It should also
describe the lands identified for protected status and
any acquisitions made specifically during the
designation process. This section should also include
the general management structure for the reserve,
the state agency and department responsible for
management, and the relevant land management
partners.
Ecological Characteristics
The description of the natural setting should provide a
general overview of the location and extent of key
physical and environmental characteristics of the
reserve, including geography, geology, hydrology,
biological resources, climate, and weather. It can be a
very brief synopsis of the reserve’s ecological
characterization as described in the site profile, but
should reflect any significant changes that have
occurred since the site profile. A link to the site profile
can be provided for more detailed information.
♦ = optional element
__ History and local management
__ Ecological attributes
__ Geomorphology
__ Hydrology
__ Climate and weather
__ Key habitats and species
__ Social attributes
__ Population demographics
__ Jobs and employment trends ♦
__ Value of ecosystem services ♦
__ Archaeological and cultural resources ♦
__ Archaeological sites ♦
__ Cultural sites or resources♦
__ Value of resources♦
__ Threats and stressors
__ Natural and anthropogenic
__ Climate phenomena and impacts
__ Reserve sensitivity and vulnerability
to environmental change ♦
__ Boundary description
__ Core and buffer rationale
__ Boundary map
__ Core and buffer
__ Land ownership
__ Habitat types (include map)
__ Land use type (include map)
__ Targeted watershed (include map
that indicates land use and type)
__ Boundary expansion rationale and
GIS layers (if applicable)
Geography and geology includes a general description
of the topography and geomorphology that creates
the unique reserve ecosystem, as well as geological
setting and classification. Hydrology should be
characterized by the average tidal conditions the
reserve experiences, the major inputs of fresh and salt
water to the estuary, and any water quality or
quantity issues potentially affecting the reserve. The
reserve’s climate and weather should be characterized by the climate regime the estuary is situated in,
key weather patterns (e.g., El Niño, hurricanes) that may influence the reserve, and weather trends the
reserve experiences. Trends can be gathered from reserve SWMP data and may include average annual
minimum and maximum air temperature range and average annual rainfall. The reserve’s key habitats,
based on the Reserve System habitat classification scheme, should be described.
A map should be included that identifies the habitats within the reserve boundary. The map should also
outline the boundary of the reserve’s targeted watershed. In this section, the reserve may also identify
the most common or dominant animal and plant species, as well as key species of importance or
concern, including those that may be endangered or threatened.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Socioeconomic Attributes
Understanding the socioeconomic framework within and adjacent to the reserve will inform
management of coastal resources and protect the reserve. At a minimum, the plan should include a
brief description of population demographics and information about jobs and employment trends to
provide an understanding of the socioeconomic framework within the reserve’s targeted watershed or
defined geographic area of interest. Population demographics can be characterized by population
density, age, gender, ethnicity, education level, and housing information.
At their option, reserves may include additional information about ocean and coastal-related jobs, the
value of ecosystem services, and social vulnerabilities. Ocean and coastal-related jobs can be described
by reviewing jobs in ocean-related sectors as defined by Economics: National Ocean Watch (ENOW).
Examples of social vulnerabilities include large populations of aged or low-income residents. Ecosystem
service values can be described generally in terms of the benefits derived by people from natural
resources in your reserve and within the reserve’s sphere of influence, and how changes in the health
and function of those resources affect those benefits. Please include specific examples if available.
Archaeological and Cultural Resources (Optional)
In addition to biological and social resources, the reserve may contain archaeological, cultural, and
historical resources that provide information and research opportunities about past settlements. These
resources provide a sense of place and historical context and should be identified and preserved.
If the reserve includes this section, it should provide a brief overview and description for the
archaeological and cultural resources within the reserve, including the value and general location of
these resources. If an evaluation of these resources has been done, please include information about
priority sites and any efforts to protect them. Collaboration with the state archaeologist or state historic
preservation office and state maritime archaeologist is recommended, if one exists.
Threats and Stressors
While reserves were designated under the premise that they are relatively pristine and representative
estuarine ecosystems, they are and will likely be increasingly exposed to human and environmental
stressors that must be understood in order to manage and adapt to changing conditions. This section
should describe the primary stressors on the reserve.
NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC STRESSORS (REQUIRED)
Natural and anthropogenic threats and stressors affect all reserve environments. Each reserve is subject
to different stressors depending on their geographic location and relationship to urban and rural
communities, as well as exposure to weather and climate-related hazards. This section should briefly
summarize threats to both biological and social resources within and adjacent to the reserve. Threats
such as sedimentation, nonpoint source pollution, invasive species, population growth, episodic storm
events, flood exposure, and so on provide unique challenges and should be described thoroughly to
provide background and focus for the reserve’s strategic plan.
CLIMATE CHANGE PHENOMENA AND IMPACTS (REQUIRED)
Coastal societies and ecosystems are dependent upon unique resources and subject to hazards that may
not affect inland landscapes. Understanding these dependencies and threats is critical to management
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
of these systems. Environmental changes interact with other stressors within natural and social systems,
and may alter their effects.
This section should provide an overview of any expected environmental changes the reserve may face,
as well as an overview of any significant impacts that may occur. For example, reserves should describe
anticipated changes in flood exposure risk and assess potential impacts to human and ecological
communities, as well as to infrastructure. Reserves should also assess anticipated land cover changes
that may result from the effects of climate change, as well as the potential risk and impacts of other
natural disasters on reserve resources.
For general information on climate stressors and expected changes and impacts that may result, please see
section on Climate Data Sources, below. Reserves should use local data and information to support this
section where possible.
RESERVE SENSITIVITY AND VULNERABILITY TO CLIMATE CHANGE (OPTIONAL)
As we try to understand and plan for the impacts
of environmental changes on natural resources
and communities, it is important to be aware of
“Not considering climate
the general sensitivity, exposure, and adaptive
change in management is akin
capacity of our natural resources and the
to traveling in unknown
communities that depend on them. The
territory without a map—one
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
is not likely to arrive at the
defines vulnerability as a function of the sensitivity
desired destination.”
of a system to climate changes and its exposure to
those changes. Reserves are encouraged to assess
‒ Scanning the Conservation Horizon
the ecological and social vulnerabilities of reserve
ecosystems and communities.
For those reserves that have completed or will complete a vulnerability assessment before the revision
of their management plan, we encourage including a summary of the assessment. It may be included in
the previous section on climate change phenomena and impacts, or as a separate section.
If reserves have not conducted a comprehensive vulnerability assessment of ecosystems and
communities, existing data and information that describe natural resource sensitivity and exposure
within the reserve should be included, as feasible. The report Climate Sensitivity of the National
Estuarine Research Reserve System, which explores the biophysical and social sensitivity of reserves and
related communities may be helpful.
Reserves with the capacity to do so are encouraged to conduct a vulnerability assessment before
updating the management plan, as it will affect the scope and scale of research, education, and
stewardship activities. For more information about the general process for conducting a vulnerability
assessment, please see Conducting a Reserve Vulnerability Assessment, available in the “Management
Plan” section of the NERRS Intranet. If a vulnerability assessment cannot be done before revising the
management plan, it is advisable to identify this effort within the strategic plan, if feasible.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Reserve Boundary
This section should describe the reserve in the context of the state, region, and watershed. The reserve
should identify the type of estuary it is (e.g., coastal plain, bar-built, deltaic system, tectonic, fjord) and
the major physical attributes that define the reserve. If applicable, this section should also note if NOAA
has approved any changes to the reserve boundary since the last management plan update.
CORE AND BUFFER
The plan should clearly define the reserve’s boundary, which will encompass two areas: key lands and
waters (“core area”) and a buffer zone. The plan should include a map that shows the boundary along
with the core and buffer areas. If a boundary change was approved before the management plan
update, the map should be updated to reflect the new boundary, as well as core and buffer designations
within the areas added to the boundary. The managing entities must establish adequate control over
human activities occurring within all areas of the reserve boundary. (15 CFR 921.11(c)(3)) The core and
buffer areas will likely require differing levels of control. This section should also briefly describe how
core and buffer areas were determined, particularly for any newly added areas or modifications to
previous core or buffer delineations.
The core and buffer designations should also be considered when proposing new habitat protection,
restoration, or manipulations activities, or new facilities as part of the management plan. Designated
core areas are considered so “vital to the functioning of the estuarine ecosystem that it must be under a
level of control sufficient to ensure the long-term viability of the reserve or research on natural
processes.” Buffer zones protect the core area and provide additional protection for estuarinedependent species, including those that are rare or endangered. When determined appropriate by the
state and approved by NOAA, the buffer zone may also include an area necessary for facilities required
for research and interpretation. Additionally, buffer zones should be established sufficient to
accommodate a shift of the core area as a result of biological, ecological, or geomorphologic change that
reasonably could be expected to occur.
LAND OWNERSHIP AND TYPE
Land ownership and land use type should be described for all areas within the boundary. The number of
acres should be attributed to each landowner. Federal lands already in protected status may not make
up a majority of the key land and water areas of a reserve, per 15 CFR 921.1(g). Land use adjacent to the
reserve should also be identified with a description of potential impacts and challenges. A map should
be included that identifies land ownership within and adjacent to the reserve boundary.
TARGETED WATERSHED BOUNDARY
As a companion to the targeted watershed boundary map, this section should briefly describe the basis
for defining the reserve’s targeted watershed boundary. Targeted watersheds represent those
watersheds that directly flow into and impact the habitats within reserves. For new reserves that have
not yet established a targeted watershed boundary, reserve staff determine the size and area of the
reserve’s targeted watershed boundary, which represents the watershed basin within which land uses,
and water quality and quantity affect reserve habitats.
Targeted watersheds can represent 1) U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Unit Codes that encompass the
river systems directly flowing into the reserves; or 2) boundaries based on local knowledge. Targeted
watershed boundaries usually, but not always, correspond to a 12-14 digit U.S. Geological Survey
Hydrologic Unit Code. In some cases (e.g., Narragansett Bay NERR), the targeted boundaries may
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
correspond to the estuarine basin – the largest scale at which reserves are mapped – but in most cases,
these are distinct boundaries.
BOUNDARY MODIFICATIONS
Reserves may wish to expand their management boundary from time to time for a variety of reasons,
and less often may seek to remove an area from the existing boundary. For example,
• Reserves may expand their boundary to include those lands or waters that are necessary to
protect the ecological units of the natural estuarine system for research purposes (e.g.,
expanding core area).
• Reserves may wish to incorporate areas adjacent to these key land and waters that are essential
to maintain the integrity of the ecological unit (e.g., including additional buffer area),
particularly if needed to enable habitat migration due to climate change.
Lands and waters proposed for addition through a boundary change must either be contiguous to the
original boundary or the reserve must demonstrate how these areas are necessary for reserve research
or education programs.
As of 2017, boundary changes will generally be handled outside of the management plan revision
process because a reserve boundary modification will likely require the preparation of an environmental
assessment or environmental impact statement under NEPA. Please refer to separate guidance for that
process. Reserves planning to expand their boundary should discuss this with the site liaison to
determine the optimal timing in order to reflect approved changes in subsequent updates to the
management plan. Also, the reserve should provide information about the proposed change to the site
liaison as the basis for discussion and to determine the type of review needed.
If a boundary change was completed since the last management plan, the reserve should
• Incorporate information about newly added or removed parcels into the overview of the
reserve, boundary, and habitat maps, and relevant programmatic chapters;
• Include, as an appendix, any new or revised MOU needed between the state agency and the
land managing partners, if different from the state agency, to affirm that the lands will be
managed in accordance with Reserve System regulations; and
• Submit GIS layers for boundary changes to NOAA so that Coastal Change Analysis Program data
can be updated, as well as the Centralized Data Management Office.
Resources
Natural Resources Data Sources
Benthic Cover data provide nearshore benthic habitat polygons derived from aerial optic or swath
acoustic imagery as part of NOAA’s Digital Coast (coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/data/benthiccover.html).
Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) data are a source of coastal land cover and change
information, including inventories of intertidal areas, wetlands, and adjacent uplands, for use in GIS.
Also see the C-CAP Land Cover Atlas to explore the data online and print summary data sheets.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Coastal Lidar provides data sets contributed by many different entities and groups, distributed in userspecified formats, resolutions, and datums as part of NOAA’s Digital Coast. Also see the Topobathy Data
Inventory to see where high-resolution elevation data are available for coastal and marine areas.
Data.gov provides geospatial data from several federal agencies applicable to understanding coastal
biophysical landscapes.
National Estuarine Research Reserve Site Profiles characterize the environmental features, habitat
types, species distribution, biological communities, and research available as well as research gaps for
each reserve.
Climate Sensitivity of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a report that explains the
extent of relative climate sensitivity in the reserves by looking at five factors: social, biophysical, and
ecological sensitivity, and exposure to temperature change and sea level rise. High social sensitivity to
climate change is indicated where there is higher employment within natural resource-dependent
industries, lower per capita income and median home values, higher percentages of minority
populations, and a higher percentage of individuals lacking a high school education. Biophysical
sensitivity is based on the relationship between annual spring atmospheric temperature with rainfall
data and water quality factors such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH.
Socio-Demographic Data Sources
There are several existing sources of information that provide socio-demographic information for
reserve-targeted watersheds. While the targeted watersheds may not include all of the human
communities that relate to or impact the reserve, they provide a standard database of information for
reserves. Additional site-specific data are encouraged to complete a picture of the socio-demographic
landscape appropriate for each reserve.
NOAA’s Quick Report Tool for Socioeconomic Data provides easy access to economic and demographic
data for multiple coastal jurisdictions. Information is derived from several key socioeconomic sources,
including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Federal
Emergency Management Agency’s Hazus database.
Census data are available by state coastal zone boundary and include population, population density,
race, sex, age, and household information. You can also clip this data by zip code.
National Center for Education Statistics allows users to view maps of states and school districts, while
overlaying statistics on population and housing, race and ethnicity, economics, and social characteristics.
Bureau of Economic Analysis data are available for NERRS-targeted watersheds and include population,
personal income, per capital personal income, and earnings by industry.
NOAA’s Digital Coast makes available economic and demographic data for NERRS-relevant geographies
including coastal zone boundaries, coastal shoreline counties, floodplains, and fixed distance areas from
the coast.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
National Ocean Economics Program coastal economy data are available for NERRS-targeted watersheds
and include number and types of industries, numbers employed per industry, wages per industry, and
gross domestic product per industry.
NOAA’s Economics: National Ocean Watch (ENOW) describes six economic sectors that depend on the
oceans and Great Lakes, including living resources, marine construction, marine transportation, offshore
mineral resources, ship and boat building, and tourism and recreation. Annual time series data are
available for 448 coastal counties, 30 coastal states, and the nation, derived from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The economic indicators include establishments,
employment, wages, and gross domestic product. Also see the ENOW Explorer for easy online
exploration of the data.
NOAA’s Coastal County Snapshots turns complex data into easy-to-understand stories and includes
charts and graphs to illustrate relationships. The data are organized by coastal state and county and
provide information on flood exposure, including county demographics, infrastructure, and environment
within the flood zone; ocean jobs, including economic value of jobs depending on ocean and Great Lakes
resources; and wetland benefits such as how they contribute to safer, cleaner, and more productive
coastal communities.
Climate Sensitivity of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a report that explains the
extent of relative climate sensitivity in the reserves by looking at five factors: social, biophysical, and
ecological sensitivity, and exposure to temperature change and sea level rise. High social sensitivity to
climate change is indicated where there is higher employment within natural resource-dependent
industries, lower per capita income and median home values, higher percentages of minority
populations, and a higher percentage of individuals lacking a high school education. Biophysical
sensitivity is based on the relationship between annual spring atmospheric temperature with rainfall
data and water quality factors such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH.
Climate Data Sources
Climate Wizard provides a user-friendly way to access leading climate change information and visualize
the impacts anywhere on Earth. The user can choose a state or country and can assess how climate has
changed over time and project what future changes are predicted to occur. You can view historic
temperature and rainfall maps, view future predictions of temperature and rainfall, and download
climate maps.
NOAA’s Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer shows how various levels of sea level rise
will impact coastal communities. Visuals and the accompanying data and information cover sea level rise
inundation, uncertainty, flood frequency, marsh impacts, and socioeconomics.
PRISM climate mapping system (the Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model) is
a unique knowledge-based system that uses point measurements of precipitation, temperature, and
other climatic factors to produce continuous, digital grid estimates of monthly, yearly, and event-based
climatic parameters. PRISM data are recognized worldwide as the highest-quality spatial climate data
sets currently available.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Sea Level Rise Affecting Marshes Model simulates the dominant processes involved in wetland
conversions and shoreline modifications during long-term sea level rise. It is a complex decision tree
incorporating geometric and qualitative relationships used to represent transfers among coastal classes.
The process accounts for inundations, erosion, overwash, saturation, and accretion. It is applied to 26
land categories derived from the National Wetlands Inventory and covers a span from dry land to open
water. The model incorporates Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projections as well as fixed
rates of sea level rise to create sea level rise scenarios.
U.S. Global Change Research Program provides regional and sectoral climate change information and
data, as well as a resource library for better understanding of climate science and climate impacts.
WorldClim is a set of global climate layers (climate grids), including past observed data, past modeled
data, and future modeled data with a spatial resolution of a square kilometer. They can be used for
mapping and spatial modeling in a GIS or other computer programs.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
The Strategic Plan: Adaptive Management through Issue-Based
Planning
Per the Federal Code of Regulations 15 CFR 921.13 (a)(1), management plans are required to identify
management issues, reserve goals and objectives, and actions for meeting the goals and objectives.
These items should be embodied in the strategic plan element of the management plan. The strategic
plan will provide direction and structure for the reserve to take cohesive action toward meeting
objectives over the next five years. This section outlines the elements of the strategic plan; these include
vision, mission, coastal management issues, goals, objectives, and actions. There should be a clear link
between the issues outlined and the goals and objectives created to address them. The objectives will
form the basis for evaluation of progress and success, and the actions will inform how the plan is
implemented. Examples, resources, and case studies are provided to support the reserve strategic
planning process.
Part I of these guidelines provides direction and advice on a process for developing many of the
elements within the strategic plan. Please refer to Part I before crafting the strategic plan.
Contents for this Section
Reserve Strategic Plan
Reserve Vision
The reserve vision statement is the overarching
description of what the reserve would like to achieve or
accomplish. Vision statements should be forward
looking and reflect how the reserve wants to be
distinguished.
Example: We envision ecologically vibrant and resilient
estuaries cherished and supported by their surrounding
communities – San Francisco Bay Reserve, 2018-2023.
♦ = optional element
__ Vision
__ Mission
__ Priority coastal management issues
__ Reserve goals, objectives, actions
__ Performance measures for each
objective ♦
Reserve Mission
The reserve mission statement should describe the reserve’s core purpose and focus, the reserve’s
reason for existence. This is a short static statement written in the present tense that describes the
organization’s unique contributions.
Example: To promote and practice informed stewardship of upland and aquatic resources to conserve
the area’s natural biodiversity and cultural resources through applied research and education –
Apalachicola Reserve.
Reserve Coastal Management Issues
This section should succinctly summarize the most pressing and pertinent coastal management issues
facing the reserve. Priority issues need to be identified in order to develop relevant goals and
meaningful objectives. This section should also include reserve issues that relate to one or more of the
issue areas identified in the Reserve System Strategic Plan.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
There are many ways to determine the reserve’s primary issues. These include research findings, needs
assessments, focus groups, surveys, and so on. Part I of this document provides guidance on identifying
and selecting reserve priority issues, and important information about stressors on the reserve to
consider as described in the plan’s “Introduction to the Reserve.” It is beneficial to involve all reserve
staff members in the process of engaging stakeholders and identifying the most pressing issues the
reserve will address.
Reserve Goals
The reserve should include a set of goals that outline what the organization plans to do or enable in the
future. Goals should advance the reserve’s mission, address the most pressing coastal management
issues based on the reserve’s niche, and be supported by the reserve’s programs. A manageable number
of goals, approximately 3-6, should be included to capture the breadth and depth of the reserve’s niche.
Goals may be written for a five-year timeframe or longer, but ultimately, they should be written so that
significant progress toward meeting them can be achieved within the five-year management plan
timeframe. When revising the plan, it may be common for goals to remain the same, but objectives and
actions to change given the amount and type of progress made toward that goal.
Part I of this document encourages integrated strategic planning in which multiple programs contribute
to the development and achievement of goals. See Part I for tips on writing goal statements.
Example: Increase and improve scientific knowledge of the San Francisco estuary ecosystem – San
Francisco Bay Reserve, 2018-2023.
Reserve Objectives
Reserves should include a set of objectives that advance progress toward each of the reserve’s goals
over the next five years. Each goal may have several objective statements. Objectives should be results
oriented and describe the desired changes in the target audience, resource, or organization within the
time period of the plan. The reserve should be able to quantitatively measure progress based on these
statements, which can then be communicated to stakeholders and leadership. For more information
and resources on creating reserve objectives, see Part I.
Examples: Full implementation of System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP) elements enhances
capacity to collect monitoring data by 2019; data and knowledge of reserve sites are interpreted within
a regional and national context by the end of 2021 – San Francisco Bay Reserve, 2018-2023.
Reserve Actions
Reserves should identify actions that support achievement of their objectives. Action statements explain
“how” an objective will be met. When developing actions, several alternatives should be explored and
the outcomes of these alternatives should be predicted based on the current state of knowledge. Then,
using professional judgment, select those actions that are predicted to be the most effective to include
in the plan. Evaluating results should be ongoing during the course of the plan in order to adapt when
necessary. More information and resources for creating actions can be found in Part I.
Examples:
• Provide training to community planners on understanding vulnerability and developing
adaptation plans focused on protecting resources within the reserve-targeted watershed.
• Partner with landowners within the reserve to identify existing conservation strategies, their
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
•
compatibility with one another, and options for improvement.
Coordinate with land partners to place signs in high-traffic areas of the trail system to increase
public awareness of authorized activities.
Performance Measures for Each Objective (Optional)
Reserves are required to track national performance measures developed to track Reserve System
progress, as well as reserve-specific metrics for CZMA program evaluations. While the system-wide
measures and Section 312 metrics are the only performance measures required, reserves are also
encouraged to develop site-specific performance measures and targets for reserve objectives to help
quantify progress and facilitate communicating success to key stakeholders.
Please briefly summarize the national performance measures, the reserve tracks, and how these
measures are used to inform management of reserve programs. Reserves are also encouraged to
identify the measures selected as metrics for CZMA 312 program evaluations, noting that they are
updated every five years.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Reserve System Program Foundations
Each reserve contributes to Reserve System-wide programs and priorities, as well as defines local
programs and priorities to address site-specific needs and issues. It is important to understand the key
elements of system-wide programs that contribute to national and local efforts. Information about
these programs has historically been included in management plans in a variety of ways; this section
offers a consistent approach.
Specifically, this section provides a standard format for describing the system-wide programs, including
mandatory text and considerations for information on program context, capacity, delivery, needs, and
opportunities. The guidance in this section outlines elements that must be addressed for the plan to
meet NERRS system-wide requirements, as well as optional elements may be included if they are helpful
to the reserve in managing program operations.
Part I’s “Assessing Skills and Capacities of Reserve Programs” discusses how reserves may conduct
program SWOT analysis. Information within each program category—context, capacity, delivery, needs,
and opportunities—should be readily available if the programs undertake a SWOT analysis. Reserves
should try to supply all of the information described below to the best of their ability. This information
should provide readers a clear picture of program capacities and focus, as well as how the program is
supporting achievement of reserve goals and objectives. Together they create a complete picture for
how the system works nationally and locally.
While stewardship is a sector program at many reserves and there are national efforts to support
stewardship functions, this section concentrates on those sectors with system-wide programs.
Foundational capacities for stewardship vary across sites and will be captured within research and
monitoring, as well as the resource protection, land acquisition, public access, and visitor use
components, and if applicable, the restoration and resource manipulation components.
Each program description can be organized in separate chapters or be combined into a single “Program
Foundations” chapter. If reserves choose to create a sector-based strategic plan (i.e., sector-based
goals), each of these descriptions should be included with that sector-based goal chapter.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Contents for this Section
Research and Monitoring
The target length for this section is approximately 4-6 pages, including the mandatory system-wide text.
It may include links to other documents, such as the reserve’s site profile or sentinel site plan.
MANDATORY SYSTEM-WIDE TEXT (REQUIRED)
(Mandatory text begin)
Reserves are created to provide a stable platform for long-term research on estuarine
conditions and relevant coastal management issues. The System-Wide Monitoring Program
(SWMP) delivers standardized measurements of short-term variability and long-term changes in
water quality and biological systems, and maps land use and land cover characteristics across all
reserves. The effort is focused on three ecosystem characteristics: abiotic characteristics (water
temperature, salinity and quality, and weather); biotic characteristics (habitat types and
species); and watershed and land use characteristics (land cover and elevation changes).
Reserve-generated data meet federal geographical data standards and are available via the
Reserve System’s Centralized Data Management Office. Reserves also serve as sentinel sites for
observing how coastal habitats respond to changing water levels. This program is guided by the
reserves’ System-wide Monitoring Program Plan, the Reserve Habitat Mapping and Change Plan,
and Sentinel Sites Guidance.
The Reserve System also supports applied research through its Science Collaborative program
and the Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship program. The Science Collaborative funds
competitive research projects that engage end-users in the project design and address systemwide NERRS research and management needs. The goal of the Davidson Fellowship is to build
the next generation of leaders in estuarine science and coastal management. The fellowship
provides opportunities for graduate students to conduct research within a reserve under the
guidance of a mentor who also supports their professional development.
The Reserve System Strategic Plan outlines research objectives to maintain and expand
biophysical and socioeconomic monitoring to track environmental change, increase the use of
collaborative research to address decision-maker needs, and ensure that scientific, education,
and management audiences can use the data, research results, and tools developed by the
system.
(Mandatory text end)
RESEARCH PROGRAM CONTEXT (REQUIRED)
This section should describe the following aspects:
•
Setting and context – the geographic scope of the reserve’s research program (i.e., where are
research projects primarily conducted, what are the primary habitats that are studied?), as well
as major existing and potential partners and collaborators in the research community
surrounding the reserve.
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•
Priority Issues – what major research issues and the questions will the reserve address in the
next five years, and if appropriate, how these align with the Reserve System Strategic Plan; as
well as, the major outcomes of the reserve research and monitoring program, including the
contributions that will be made to the scientific or management community.
•
Priority Audiences – the target audiences for the data and information from research at the
reserve, including state partners, the academic community, and educators and trainers.
RESEARCH PROGRAM CAPACITY (REQUIRED)
This section should describe the staff, facilities, infrastructure, etc., that currently support both the
reserve’s research and monitoring program (which includes mapping) and the partners that the reserve
works with to accomplish its research and monitoring objectives. This should include the primary
research and monitoring staff listed above in the administrative plan, as well other reserve staff who
support specific research and monitoring programs and projects. Also, please identify the opportunities
and challenges facing the reserve research and monitoring programs over the next five years, in terms of
capacity to implement these programs.
RESEARCH AND MONITORING PROGRAM DELIVERY (REQUIRED)
This section should briefly describe the following:
•
•
•
•
How the reserve will implement the required (core) elements of SWMP. In addition to the staff
roles described above under program capacity, please describe other resources, including
infrastructure, outside funding, and partnerships, that will support the implementation of the
reserve’s core monitoring program (e.g., Research coordinator will…, SWMP tech will… GIS
specialist will…, Partner A will…, Reserve funding will support X, Funds from partnership A will
support Y);
How additional reserve monitoring and research activities, including any associated system-wide
programs such as sentinel sites and other applications of SWMP, will be implemented. Please
briefly describe the roles of reserve staff, and any resources, including infrastructure and
partnerships, that will support the implementation of these programs;
How reserve research and monitoring objectives will be met by Reserve System national
programs (e.g., the Science Collaborative and the Davidson Fellowship); and
How the research and monitoring program will support other functions at the reserve.
RESEARCH FUTURE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES (REQUIRED)
In this section, please list any additional research needs and priorities identified by local stakeholders,
and whether the reserve is projected to have the capacity in the next five years to meet those needs.
RESEARCH-RELATED OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS (OPTIONAL)
If the reserve includes this section, please list other objectives from the reserve’s strategic plan that
depend on research and monitoring, and briefly describe the research or monitoring activities that will
advance those objectives.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION STRATEGIES (OPTIONAL)
Describe any activities that will be undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of the reserve’s research
and monitoring program.
Education
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The target length for this section is approximately 4-6 pages, including the mandatory system-wide text.
It may include links to other documents, such as the reserve’s education strategic plan or needs
assessments.
MANDATORY SYSTEM-WIDE TEXT (REQUIRED)
(Mandatory Text Begin)
The Reserve System seeks to enhance public awareness and understanding of estuarine areas
and provide suitable opportunities for public education and interpretation. The Reserve System
increases estuary literacy among students, teachers, and the public through the K-12 Estuarine
Education Program (KEEP) and Conservation Action Education programs.
The K-12 Estuarine Education Program helps educators bring estuarine science into the
classroom through hands-on learning, experiments, fieldwork, and data explorations using
grade-appropriate lessons, activities, and videos. Reserves also offer teacher development
programs that use established coastal and estuarine science curricula aligned with state and
national science education standards. Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) workshops give teachers
the opportunity to explore coastal habitats and conduct field investigations, learn how to
integrate local and national monitoring data into the classroom, and gain hands-on experience
using estuary education resources.
As part of the Conservation Action Education program, reserves conduct formal and informal
education activities and outreach activities that target culturally diverse audiences of educators,
students, and environmental professionals; people who use these natural resources for work or
play; and the public. Reserves integrate research and monitoring into their educational and
outreach efforts, providing a multi-faceted, locally focused approach aimed at engaging the
community.
The Reserve System Strategic Plan outlines education objectives designed to increase the
public’s awareness of and participation in stewardship activities; improve educators’ and
students’ understanding and use of the Reserve System and NOAA resources for place-based
and inquiry-based learning; and grow and motivate the next generation of coastal professionals
through access to programs and facilities that facilitate research, resource management, and
educational opportunities.
(Mandatory Text End)
EDUCATION PROGRAM CONTEXT (REQUIRED)
This section should describe:
•
Setting and Context – the setting and context in which the education program operates,
including the geographic scope and service area of the program, as well as ecological and
socioeconomic context. If this information is present elsewhere in the management plan, it may
be referenced. Outline any changes in demographics that impact programmatic decisions or
open new opportunities for programming. Describe what has changed since the last update of
the management plan.
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•
Priority Issues – the priority issues, including emerging issues, the education program can help
to address. Reference any needs assessments or evaluation reports you used to define these
priorities. Please also describe how these priorities align with and support the 2017-2022
Reserve System Strategic Plan, K-12 Estuary Education Program, Community Education
Framework, and NOAA Education Strategic Plan.
•
Priority Audiences – the target audiences for reserve education programming, identifying
population and reach, and reasons they were selected. Incorporate the pie charts and trends
graphs from the Knack Database that synthesize type of audiences served. To the greatest
extent possible, link audiences to priority issues. Describe any future audiences that might
become important over the next five years. Map the total population of the audience you plan
to target and percentage of that population you plan to target within the next five years.
EDUCATION PROGRAM CAPACITY (REQUIRED)
This section should describe the following aspects:
•
Internal and External Resources – program’s staffing, including a description of the internal and
external resources available to support the education program, and in particular the Teachers
on the Estuary workshops; whether the education program has the capacity it needs to meet all
strategic objectives; and any plans to either increase capacity or reduce program commitments
over the next five years.
•
Strategic Partnerships – how the program works with and builds upon other programs or
initiatives at the reserve and within the Reserve System (e.g., specific reserve research programs
or products); how the program works with external programs and initiatives outside the Reserve
System; what niche (market segment) the reserve has carved out within the external Reserve
System education community; and community and vision for strengthening or sustaining those
partnerships and collaborations. Reference any market analysis data or research the program
has done that confirms the niche. Highlight specific partnerships (current and anticipated) that
help to implement the Teachers on the Estuary Program.
EDUCATION PROGRAM ALIGNMENT AND DELIVERY (REQUIRED)
This section should describe the following:
•
•
•
•
•
What major activities the education program will implement and what methodologies will it
employ;
How the education program will support or be supported by other programs at the reserve;
How the education program will deliver and disseminate results;
The major impacts or outcomes the education program wants to achieve; and
What behavior change the reserve wishes to influence.
EDUCATION FUTURE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES (REQUIRED)
This section should describe the following:
•
•
•
A summary of the education needs identified via assessment or by local stakeholders;
The nexus between those needs and projected capacity in the next five years; and
The limitations and future opportunities of the education program.
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EDUCATION-RELATED OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS (OPTIONAL)
If the reserve includes this section, please list the education objectives from the reserve’s strategic plan,
as well as education actions that will advance those objectives.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION STRATEGIES (OPTIONAL)
This section should describe
• How the reserve evaluates education program activities, including the tools used to evaluate the
program and how evaluation data are used, including the education performance measures, in
programming and planning for the education program; and
• The role of the Education Advisory Committee. Please include, as an appendix, a current
advisory group membership list, including roles and responsibilities.
Training
In 2019, the NERRS Coastal Training Program (CTP) sector decided to eliminate the requirement for a
stand-alone coastal training strategy, and instead, merge the content into the training section of the
reserve’s management plan. As such, the content and target length for this section differs from the
other foundational program sections.
The target length for this section is approximately 10-11 pages, including the mandatory system-wide
text. It may include links to other documents, such as the reserve’s coastal training strategy (if separate)
or training needs assessments. The sequence of content is flexible, provided that all required elements
are addressed.
MANDATORY SYSTEM-WIDE TEXT (REQUIRED)
(Mandatory text begin)
The Coastal Training Program provides up-to-date scientific information and skill-building
opportunities to coastal decision-makers on relevant coastal management issues. Target
audiences may vary for each reserve, but generally include local elected or appointed officials,
managers of both public and private lands, natural resource managers, coastal and community
planners, and coastal business owners and operators. They may also include such audiences as
farmers, watershed councils, professional associations, recreation enthusiasts, researchers, and
more.
The place-based nature of reserves makes them uniquely positioned to deliver pertinent
information to these audiences. Each reserve conducts an analysis of the training market and
assessment of audience needs to identify how best to deliver relevant training on priority issues
to their area.
Partnerships are integral to the program’s success. Reserves work closely with a host of local
partners, as well as several NOAA programs, to determine key coastal resource issues and the
appropriate target audiences and expertise needed to deliver relevant and accessible programs.
The Reserve System Strategic Plan outlines coastal training objectives designed to ensure that
coastal decision-makers and environmental professionals understand and effectively apply
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science-based tools, information, and planning approaches that support resilient estuaries and
coastal communities.
(Mandatory text end)
COASTAL TRAINING PROGRAM CONTEXT (REQUIRED)
This section should describe the following aspects:
•
Ecological and Socioeconomic Setting and context – the setting and context in which the CTP
operates, including ecological and socioeconomic context, as well as the geographic scope and
service area of the program. If this information is present elsewhere in the management plan,
such as the Introduction to the reserve, it may be referenced.
•
Priority Issues – what priority issues, including emerging issues, the Coastal Training Program
can address through training or technical assistance. Include a description of the conditions that
make these issues priorities, and reference relevant needs assessment results.
•
Priority Audiences – who are the target audiences that interact with and benefit from the CTP
and how were these audiences identified. To the extent possible, link audiences to priority
issues. Describe any future audiences that might become important over the next five years.
•
Alignment within the Reserve – how the CTP works with other sectors and the manager to
achieve the reserve’s goals and objectives and how it contributes to system-wide plans and
efforts (e.g., climate change implementation, SWMP, research and Monitoring, community
education).
COASTAL TRAINING PROGRAM CAPACITY (REQUIRED)
This section should describe the following aspects:
•
Capacity – the program’s staffing, including a description of the internal and external resources
available to support coastal training; whether the CTP has the capacity it needs to meet its
strategic objectives; and any plans the program might have to either increase capacity or reduce
program commitments over the next five years.
•
Strategic Partnerships – how the program works with and builds upon other programs and
initiatives at the reserve and within the Reserve System (e.g., specific reserve research programs
or products); how the CTP works with external programs and initiatives outside the Reserve
System; and any plans the program may have for expanding strategic partnerships during the
next five years.
•
Training Partnerships – who the program’s key training partners are and the nature of these
partnerships (e.g., the roles of key partners, shared goals), noting which partners are on the CTP
Advisory Committee, and with whom the program hopes to partner during the next five years.
Focus on key partners and their roles. A complete list of partners can be included as an
appendix.
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COASTAL TRAINING PROGRAM DELIVERY (REQUIRED)
This section should describe the following:
• Target audiences that interact with and benefit from the CTP, including how these audiences
•
•
•
•
were identified. Please link audiences to priority issues;
Any future audiences that might become important over the next five years;
Training delivery systems, including the approaches employed at training events;
What additional training delivery systems might be implemented over the next five years; and
The program’s marketing strategy and marketing vehicles (e.g., social media, newsletters, etc.)
COASTAL TRAINING FUTURE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES (REQUIRED)
This section should describe
•
How the program addresses training needs on an ongoing basis (e.g., through engagement with
the CTP Advisory Council). Describe any emerging issues or training needs that the program
anticipates in the next five years.
TRAINING RELATED OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS (REQUIRED)
This section should describe the following:
•
•
•
The training program’s goals and objectives in a five-year timeframe (Note: the objectives
should be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Audience-directed, Realistic, and Time-bound
statements);
The desired impacts of the training program; and
How the CTP supports and contributes to the goals and objectives of the reserve and of the
Reserve System (as set forth in the reserve’s strategic plan).
MONITORING AND EVALUATION STRATEGIES (REQUIRED)
This section should describe:
•
•
How the reserve evaluates coastal training, including the evaluation tools and data used (e.g.,
CTP performance measures) in programming and planning for the CTP; and
The role of the CTP advisory committee. Please include, as an appendix, a current Advisory
Group membership list and roles and responsibilities.
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Administrative Plan
The administrative plan is a required element of a management plan and should outline staff roles in
administration, research, education, and surveillance and enforcement, per the Federal Code of
Regulations 15 CFR 921.13 (a)(2). The administrative plan should outline the means and support
necessary to implement the goals and objectives of the reserve. It should provide an overview of the
organizational and administrative framework that governs management of the reserve, address the
roles and responsibilities of staff, as well as identify strategic partnerships and advisory committees.
Specifically, the administrative plan should include an organizational framework, a staffing plan, a
description of strategic partnerships and advisory committees, and objectives and actions for the next
five years. Optional elements could include a volunteer plan, vessel and vehicle plan, communications
plan, and information about administrative initiatives of the state and reserve that impact the future of
reserve operations.
The target length for this section is five pages. It may include links to other documents, as appropriate.
Contents for this Section
Organization Framework and Management Authorities (Required)
This section builds on the “Introduction to the
Reserve” component to provide more information
about the state agency administrative structure and
management authorities. This section should
highlight the mission of the agency and why it is an
appropriate match to host the reserve. An
organizational chart outlining the current
location of the reserve within the state agency
aligned with NOAA’s management structure should
be included. Additionally, an organizational chart of
the reserve should be included.
If applicable, this section should capture any changes
in the host agency since the last approved
management plan (or since designation, if this is a
reserve’s first plan) and the reasons for those
changes. It should also include any relevant
information about state law, codes, or management
authorities that impact the administration of the
reserve.
Administrative Plan
♦ = optional element
__ Organizational framework
__ Organizational charts
__ Current staffing and needs
__ Strategic partnerships
__ Advisory committees
__ Administrative objectives and
actions
__ Volunteer plan ♦
__ Vessel and vehicle plan ♦
__ Communications plan ♦
Current Staff and Needs (Required)
This section should clearly outline the number of staff members employed to support reserve programs,
as well as their roles and responsibilities, particularly staff roles in administration, research, education
and administration, and surveillance and enforcement. Indicate if employees are full-time, part-time, or
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seasonal and the location of their primary office. Include an administrative chart to visually represent
the reserve’s staff positions, administrative structure, and oversight. If applicable, indicate strategies to
secure state funding for core staff positions.
Include detailed information about anticipated staffing needs to better support the mission of the
reserve and projected program developments. Outline the roles and responsibilities of these anticipated
positions and the goal-based justifications, and reference any supporting documents that recommend
these staffing needs (i.e., internal reviews and evaluations findings). If available, include information on
how these future positions would be funded.
Strategic Partnerships (Required)
The administration of a reserve occurs through a collaborative process involving a variety of agencies
and organizations at various levels of engagement. Strategic partnerships are those that leverage
specific resources to carry out core functions of the reserve and are often associated with facilities,
enforcement, or staffing. This section should not be an exhaustive list of all reserve partnerships, but
instead briefly describe key partnerships. If applicable, this section could include information about the
reserve’s Friends group, in particular the role and responsibility of the group in supporting the mission
of the reserve.
All memoranda of understanding between the reserve and land-holding or management partners should
be included in the appendix of the management plan. If there is a need to compile a complete list of all
organizations that the reserve current partners with, it should also be included as an appendix.
Advisory Committees (Required)
Reserve advisory committees are composed of local community stakeholders and assist in guiding the
policies and management of the reserve. This section should detail the roles, membership, and
expectations of the reserve’s advisory committee. For example, do committee members provide
feedback and recommendations on the site’s management and implementation strategies; assist in
seeking support for reserve programs; represent the interests of users of the reserve and its products,
discuss relevant issues with the community and so on. If applicable, provide information about subcommittees or task forces and their relationship to sector-specific advisory committees.
Additional information about the advisory committees (optional) could include the following:
•
•
•
•
How members are appointed and how long they serve;
General meeting structure (i.e., open to the public) and frequency of meetings;
How decisions are made (i.e., consensus); and
Information about the general composition of the committee by
o
o
a list of the specific organizations and users represented on the advisory committees or
a list of members and affiliations from a past year.
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Objectives and Actions (Required)
Reserves should identify objectives and actions for the administrative plan that ensure the reserve has
the adequate administrative, operational, and financial capacities to implement its goals effectively.
Reserves should clearly describe how these objectives and actions help meet its overall goals and
objectives. Administrative objectives help in managing the reserve by addressing its operational needs
and plans to maintain and train staff, maintain vessels and facilities, complete administrative processes,
and work in the community through strategic partnerships and advisory committees. Actions should be
designed to effectively and efficiently use existing administrative, infrastructure, fiscal, and human
resources.
Hudson River Reserve: Administrative Goal and Objectives
The Hudson River management plan developed several operational goals and three administrative
objectives to support the reserve. The reserve’s administration plan outlines strong, relevant
activities that will help the reserve achieve its administrative objectives. Reserves may choose to
develop an administrative goal within their strategic plan, or they can simply list objectives within
their administration plan that directly support objectives within the strategic plan:
coast.noaa.gov/data/docs/nerrs/Reserves_HUD_MgmtPlan.pdf.
Because the administrative objectives and actions likely support achievement of all of the reserve goals
and objectives, they do not need to be integrated into the strategic plan. Many reserves find it difficult
to merge these types of objectives with programmatic objectives because they are central to supporting
the entire plan. However, reserves may choose to integrate these objectives and actions into their
strategic plan if administrative issues are a central focus for the next five years. If included in the
strategic plan, this section can simply reference the administrative objectives actions in the strategic
plan chapter.
Optional Plans That Support Programs and Their Management
The following plans are all optional possible additions to your management plan. You may decide which,
if any, to include. There are no required elements for these plans; the following are suggestions on how
you might structure them should you choose to include them.
VOLUNTEER PLAN (OPTIONAL)
Volunteers are an invaluable resource for reserves. A volunteer plan is helpful when it comes to building
a volunteer program that helps reserve programs meet their goals and objectives and strengthens
connections with the community. The considerations below can help with developing a volunteer plan.
Planning for Volunteers
Running an effective volunteer program takes time and effort, so it is critical to have a clear picture of
what needs can be met with support from volunteers and how the reserve will support the volunteers.
First, assess and identify needs that can be filled by volunteers. Next, identify and plan for the number of
volunteers that the reserve can adequately monitor and support. Determine who will train, mentor, and
oversee volunteers for each of those functions. Identify or establish policies and administrative
procedures so that everyone is clear about what needs to happen before a volunteer can begin and
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while working. It will be important to create and market clear position descriptions, including
qualifications, purpose, time frame, expected outcomes, and evaluation criteria (if applicable). If
volunteer hours will be used as match for grant awards, identify policies and procedures to track and
account for those hours.
Recruiting and Organizing Volunteers
Once the reserve determines the functions that can be performed by volunteers, it is time to recruit,
screen, interview, and place volunteers in appropriate positions aligned with their ability, expertise, and
interest. Organizing teams of volunteers for certain areas can be useful for managing volunteers and
provides them a network of people with similar interests to maintain engagement and give support to
each other. It will be important to provide an orientation on the reserve as a whole, as well as the
specific duties and protocols the volunteers will perform, so that volunteers can feel safe and productive
when performing their duties.
Supervising, Evaluating, and Retaining Volunteers
Once trained and performing duties, volunteers must receive proper supervision, support, and
evaluation of efforts. Supervising volunteers takes time and attention to ensure they are effective, safe
and happy. Outline steps for gauging success (e.g., mechanisms for giving and receiving feedback),
evaluating whether the complement of volunteers continues to be suited to the reserve, and
determining where adjustments may be needed. It will also be important to recognize the contributions
of volunteers, as this helps to strengthen the bond with the reserve and foster continued contribution.
VESSEL AND VEHICLE PLAN (OPTIONAL)
A fleet of vehicles and vessels can be critical to supporting reserve objectives and activities. A fleet
infrastructure plan could help determine when craft need to be repaired or replaced, overseeing
maintenance and repair work, procuring new craft and associated equipment, training staff in the
proper use and safety protocols for each type of craft and associated equipment, and keeping required
records for all fleet craft. If applicable, please identify policies for vehicles, including hybrids and
additional energy-saving plans.
COMMUNICATION PLAN (OPTIONAL)
You can develop communication standards for your office (e.g., how your materials look; processes;
overarching messages), but when it comes to reaching out to a specific audience to obtain a measurable
result, developing a communication plan is a good approach. Consider creating one for each of your
main objectives. Examples include increasing participation in educational programs, or expanding
interactions with local officials on environmental matters. The notes below provide tips for
communication plan development.
Objectives and Target Audiences
Developing clear objectives, preferably objectives you can measure, is a critical component. Think about
who you want to reach and what you want them to do as a result of receiving this information. Writing
this down will help you better articulate the approach and the messaging.
Designating a primary audience, and developing a communication strategy for that audience in
particular, is also important. Secondary audiences can come into play, but it is far better to design your
communication plan for one audience. Trying to please all often ends up pleasing none, yet once you
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develop a plan for a particular audience, it should be relatively easy to modify that plan for secondary
audiences.
Approach
Determine what methods will be used to reach the target audience. What communication vehicles are
they most likely to see and respond to? Who will be involved in the creation and delivery of outreach
materials? Create a laundry list of options, then home in on those you believe will deliver the best return
on investment.
Key Messages, Tactics, and Costs
Messages should be clear, benefit-oriented, and written so that target audiences will understand and
relate. Remember to present the information the audience is interested in, not the information you wish
they were interested in. The messaging sweet spot is where audience needs and interests intersect with
what the reserve has to offer. Keep the messaging simple and clear.
Timeline and Evaluating Success
Identifying tangible measures of success is preferred—a percentage change in audience behavior, for
instance, or increased financial support. Soliciting audience feedback regarding the product and the
approach is always illuminating.
CONTINGENCY OR HAZARD RESPONSE PLAN (OPTIONAL)
Each reserve varies in the type and degree of exposure to a variety of hazards. It could be helpful to
include a section that briefly describes the types of hazards that may likely affect the reserve, and
whether the reserve has contingency or response plans in place. If so, it would be helpful to reference,
and link to, those plans.
SPECIAL AREA PLANS (OPTIONAL)
In addition to their designation as a research reserve, a number of reserves are also part of other
federal, state, or local special area designations, such as a National Wildlife Refuge, state ecological
reserve, or special area management plan, for example. It could be helpful to include a section that
briefly summarizes any additional special area designations that apply to the reserve; the federal, state,
or local partners that are involved with each; and what, if any, additional management plans or policies
govern those areas.
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Facility Development and Improvement Plan
The facilities plan is a required element of a
management plan per the Federal Code of Regulations
15 CFR 921.13. In addition, 15 CFR 921.21 specifies that
the NOAA-approved management plan must include a
construction plan and public access plan before any
award funds can be spent on construction activities.
Therefore, planned facilities, facility upgrades, other
infrastructure improvements, or exhibits must be listed
in this section if the reserve wishes to seek funding
support for them through the Reserve System’s
Procurement, Acquisition and Construction (PAC)
program.
Reserve facilities provide functional space for reserve
work and programming and serve as the face to the
public, providing venues for learning and serving as a
learning tool themselves. Reserve facilities must face all
of the pressures that come with working and building in
the coastal zone, including withstanding storms, surge,
erosion, and elements of wind, salt, sand, and humidity,
among others.
Facility Development and
Improvement Plan
♦ = optional element
__ Purpose of facilities
__ Current facilities
__ Map of facility locations
__ Facility challenges and gaps
__ Planned facilities, facility upgrades,
other infrastructure and exhibits
__ Climate and non-climate stressors
__ Facility/infrastructure descriptions
__ Operations and maintenance manual
as appendix ♦
__ Long-term facility plan as appendix ♦
Additionally, a changing climate is expected to exacerbate these pressures, resulting in increased
erosion, frequency, and intensity of storm events and associated surge, sea-level rise, and associated
saltwater intrusion. These challenges require reserves to build facilities that are better able to withstand
these pressures and serve their intended purpose for the life cycle of the structure. NOAA is encouraging
reserves to build new and improve existing facilities and other infrastructure so that they are sustainable
and resilient.
The document Planning for Sustainable Facilities (available on the Reserve System Intranet) provides
information on how to assess vulnerability of potential investments, principles for sustainability and
resilience, including examples and options, and sustainable building codes and rating systems. It
provides considerations, references and resources to help reserves think about how to incorporate
sustainable principles into facility planning. Please note that the supporting material for this guidance is
more robust than other plan elements because it also supports planning requirements for the document
NOAA Programmatic Framework for Considering Climate Change Impacts in Coastal Habitat Restoration,
Land Acquisition, and Facility Development Investments.
This plan should discuss the reserve’s philosophy on sustainable and resilient building, purpose and
description of existing facilities and other critical infrastructure, facility challenges and gaps, and plans
for new facilities, facility upgrades, and exhibits. The plan could also address green infrastructure
improvements that currently or could in the future provide resilience or sustainability values to the
reserve. Like the administration plan, facilities support reserve operations and the reserve staff’s ability
to meet objectives and actions within the strategic plan. Reserves may either choose to craft specific
objectives for this plan that do not need to be incorporated into the strategic plan, or they may simply
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identify facility priorities. Either approach is acceptable, but there should be a clear link between facility
plans and the achievement of reserve goals and objectives.
The target length for this section is five pages. It may include links to other documents, as appropriate.
Contents for this Section
Purpose of Facilities and Construction Principles (Required)
This section should briefly describe the overall purpose and vision for what the facilities within the
reserve boundaries will help achieve. Reserves may see themselves as centers for regional excellence in
providing services, they may be local experts with a lower profile, they may have facilities that showcase
sustainable building approaches and practices, or they may implement infrastructure projects that
demonstrate the value of green infrastructure. Green or sustainable building is the practice of creating
structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a
building’s life cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and
deconstruction. Building in this way reaps not only environmental, but economic and social benefits.
This section should describe the principles that the reserve ascribes to, as well as the state laws,
regulations, and initiatives that support sustainable building. The facilities prioritized in this plan should
cross-walk with the programmatic priorities within the reserve plan.
In addition, this section should also describe how the reserve facilities and other infrastructure projects
enhance hazard resilience. Other infrastructure projects could include small-scale habitat restorations
and nature-based activities that enhance the resilience of reserve facilities. However, if a nature-based
project is included as an element of a facility plan, it must be included in the habitat manipulation
chapter, as well and be evaluated based on ecological impacts.
Description of Current Facilities (Required)
This section should briefly describe each existing facility on the reserve campus, including stationary and
traveling exhibits, and trails. This section should also include maps depicting the following:
•
•
The location of all current facilities, reserve monitoring and research infrastructure, and green
infrastructure demonstrations (e.g., living shorelines); and
Small-scale infrastructure, including boardwalks, boat ramps, docks, and historic or culturally
significant structures.
The description for each major facility identified in the corresponding infrastructure map should provide
this information:
•
•
•
•
•
The purpose of the facility;
Where it is located (reference the corresponding map);
When it was constructed or updated;
What components are within the facility (if applicable); and
How the facility is used and by whom (e.g., what reserve components and activities take place in
the facility).
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If applicable, include
• Any available data on visitor use and capacity for the facility;
• How the facility employs sustainable or resilient building principles or techniques; and
• Whether there are plans to upgrade the facility to improve sustainability and operational
efficiency. If so, please describe these plans generally in this section, but more specifically in the
“Planned Facilities and Facility Upgrades” section as appropriate.
• Please provide photos for major facilities.
Facility Challenges and Gaps (Required)
This section should describe the current gaps in facilities needed to support programmatic activities or
reserve operations as demonstrated through some form of needs assessment (e.g., what staff, visitor, or
stakeholder needs are not currently being met). These needs should be grounded in data—e.g., current
and projected capacity, visitor use, functional needs—that identify the challenges that, if overcome,
support the reserve’s vision. These needs should be consistent with elements of a standard reserve and
sustainable reserve guidelines. (Dewberry Design, 2004) Much of this data may come from the needs
and gaps information identified in the “Program Foundations” section.
This section should describe which facilities and infrastructure have been identified as needing repair,
and whether current environmental and power systems within the facility are in need of upgrades to
make them more sustainable or resilient. Can the reserve increase operational efficiency and reduce
resources to meet those needs? In addition, this section could also describe the projected challenges
that existing facilities and other reserve infrastructure will face, whether from age, use, natural or
anthropogenic stressors, including climate impacts.
Planned Facilities and Infrastructure (Required)
This section should describe the facility or infrastructure projects that the reserve wants to undertake
during the period of the management plan that meets the identified needs stated above. A project
needs to be identified in this section if the reserve wishes to seek NERRS Procurement and Acquisition
(PAC) funding for it. Detailed explanation of these facilities and infrastructure must include, at a
minimum, a general description, desired time frame for construction, and general cost estimate. They
should also include considerations for siting (if applicable), anticipated sustainable or resilient design
principles, and other relevant characteristics. Please refer to information generated from the
“Introduction to the Reserve” component to inform development of this section.
CLIMATE AND NON-CLIMATE STRESSORS
In order to effectively plan for new facilities or the most appropriate facility upgrades, reserves need to
consider siting for optimal sustainability, survivability, and accessibility while also thinking hard about
projected use and utility for staff and partners. Hence, part of planning for future facilities or other
infrastructure should include the following:
•
Identification of the projected climate change impacts that will affect the investment. Stressors
and their subsequent impacts that should be addressed include changes in precipitation, air
temperature, change in sea level or lake level, and changes in storm frequency and intensity.
Please refer to Summary of Observed and Projected Regional Climate-Related Changes and
Summary of Climate Change Phenomena with Observed and Projected Changes (available on the
NERRS Intranet), as well as local information relevant to understanding infrastructure sensitivity,
exposure, and vulnerability. Climate data and scenario tools focusing on sea level change can be
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
found in the “Introduction to the Reserve” resources section and in Planning for Sustainable
Facilities (also available on the NERRS Intranet).
•
Identification of the life span of the project based on these scenarios and projected utility. It is
the responsibility of project principals to identify the methods used to determine the life span of
the project based on scenarios and expected utility of the structure. However, a 30-year life
span is suggested for all major facilities.
•
Gauging the extent to which the projected impacts will affect project objectives and benefits
over the life span of the project. By reviewing all of the factors above, determine the risk and
appropriate investment for long-term facility projects, as well as potentially shorter-term
upgrades and improvements in existing facilities.
•
Making determinations about the extent of the climate impacts over time based on one or more
climate change scenarios. We advise applying a multi-scenario analysis based on
recommendations outlined by the National Research Council, the U.S. Global Change Research
Program, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
FACILITY PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
Identify each project in order of priority and describe why the project is a priority for the reserve. In
order to describe these projects accurately, pre-work and planning will likely be a necessity. If the
reserve has already developed a facility master plan, please draw from that master plan. For each major
project (e.g., headquarters building, visitor center, lab), describe the following:
Required:
• Purpose and estimated life of the facility.
• Proposed timeframe for construction—this can be an estimate.
• General cost estimate for each proposed facility, which includes associated costs for
environmental assessment, if applicable.
o Please note: An environmental assessment will need to be prepared if the project occurs
on undisturbed land or if it is expected to have significant effects on the environment.
Each project will be evaluated individually.
Optional:
• Elements of the project that support Reserve System sustainable building principles (below),
including sustainability or resilience goals or targets.
• Description of associated signage or exhibits that describe the sustainable principles and
features of the building, if open to the public.
• Elements of the project that incorporate green infrastructure or hazard resilience.
• As able, forecasted maintenance costs and state capacity to support these costs.
For proposed minor construction projects (e.g., small pier, storage shed, nature trails), please include
sufficient detail to begin the initial phase of planning.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
The Reserve System sustainable building principles are
discussed in detail, along with examples, in Planning
for Sustainable Facilities. The reserve’s sustainable
building principles were adopted from “Guiding
Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance
and Sustainable Buildings” set forth in Federal
Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable
Buildings Memorandum of Understanding (2006).
Reserve System Sustainable
Building Principles
•
•
•
•
•
•
Integrated design and sustainable
siting
Water efficiency
Energy efficiency
Materials and resource conservation
Indoor environmental quality
Operational efficiency
INTEGRATED DESIGN AND SUSTAINABLE SITING
All projects should use a collaborative, integrated
planning and design process that starts at the earliest
stages of the design process, includes a variety of expertise relevant to each stage, and maintains an
integrated project team throughout all stages of the project considering the life cycle of the project.
The reserve should explore whether there are constraints, such as local ordinances, that may make
sustainable building challenging.
Mission-Aransas Reserve: Building Sustainably on the Texas Coast
In 2011, the Mission-Aransas Reserve celebrated the opening of its new Estuarine Research Center
on the University of Texas Marine Science Institute campus—the culmination of a collaborative,
interdisciplinary design process. A team of engineers, architects, and reserve staff designed and
constructed a headquarters and research facility to withstand harsh coastal conditions (i.e., high
winds, salt, torrential rains, and storm surges) and meet specific sustainability goals.
To address conditions on the coast, the facility was designed to sacrifice the ground floor, housing
non-critical building functions, provide an exterior rated to handle 130mph winds, and, using
concrete additives, prevent chloride penetration, to name a few. In addition, the grounds are being
irrigated by air-conditioning condensate and rainwater captured from the roof to reduce impacts
on municipal water systems. During construction, 83 percent of the construction waste was
recycled, and 82 percent of the materials used originated in Texas.
In 2017, Category 4 Hurricane Harvey put these sustainable design and resilience features to the
test. The placement of solar panels on the roof to offset future energy costs had unintended
consequences. Hurricane force winds tore panels off the roof, allowing water to infiltrate and
compromise the building.
Also, pea gravel from roofs of older surrounding buildings became airborne projectiles impacting
glass of the facility’s windows and doors. This highlights the value of hurricane impact-rated doors
and windows.
Throughout the project, the reserve found that building sustainably with low-carbon footprints is
difficult to do on the coast. However, commitment from all the partners to sustainable designs and
practices was critical to achieving a facility that is durable, versatile, and sustainable. For more
information, contact the Mission-Aransas Reserve.
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The coastal zone presents a harsh environment for facilities, and climate change will present new and
exacerbate existing stressors. When identifying potential sites for future facilities, reserves should
account for climate change impacts and natural hazards, as well as elements such as natural light,
habitat preservation, runoff, and factors affecting accessibility. Other considerations to inform siting
include state and local considerations for reserve facility siting, options to protect existing native habitat
or restore a site with native species, options to address stormwater discharges on the site, including use
of low impact development practices, and proximity to community features and transportation.
WATER EFFICIENCY
Water is a precious commodity. Where availability is limited and puts a strain on infrastructure, reserves
must look for ways to decrease the amount of water used and increase dependence on water that is
collected, used, purified, and reused on-site. Consider what water-saving mechanisms the reserve can
employ as much as is feasible, such as incorporating xeriscaping and water catchment systems. Is the
design strategic in its use of turf areas as part of the facility landscaping? How will efficient irrigation
systems and schedules be incorporated? What other practices can be incorporated to further reduce
water use?
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Buildings in this country use a significant amount of energy, most of which is produced from
nonrenewable, fossil fuel resources that are contributing to greenhouse gas impacts. When designing
new or upgrading existing facilities, it is important to ensure that an integrated project team and process
are used to identify opportunities to increase energy efficiency of heating, cooling, and lighting systems.
Reducing energy demand often requires a team, including a variety of building experts, to be effective.
Great Bay Reserve: Stepping Out on Geothermal and Solar
The Great Bay Reserve broke new ground for the New Hampshire Public Works Department as the
first state facility to install a geothermal system. Due to the department’s lack of experience and the
fact that it had to go with the lowest bidder, who then subcontracted out various parts, the system
was delivered with multiple challenges that required time and money to fix. A key lesson here is to do
as much homework as possible to make up for the experience your agency may lack. While states
must follow certain contracting rules, at a minimum, try to ensure that there is one company, ideally
one with local expertise, to manage the entire project to ensure a seamless product and installation.
On the flip side, the solar roof was a great success because they hired a local contractor who designed
and installed the system. The bid process was a success as well, since they bid for solar with a roof
component vs. bidding for a building with a geothermal component. The reserve is already seeing
about 20 percent energy saving. The roof is projected to last about 40 years, almost twice that of an
asphalt roof. Beyond energy and materials savings, staff and visitors love coming to a green building.
For more information, contact the Great Bay Reserve.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
MATERIALS AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION
Preventing and recycling waste reduces depletion of natural resources, creates less pollution by
reducing manufacturing and transportation-related emissions, uses less energy and water compared to
many virgin material product-manufacturing processes, and reduces greenhouse gasses by using less
energy for manufacturing and transportation. It is important to purchase products and employ
processes that do not pollute or unnecessarily contribute to the waste stream, do not adversely affect
health, and do not deplete limited natural resources.
When planning for new facilities or upgrades, it is important to consider how to manage construction
waste, evaluate environmental trade-offs for materials and resources, and consider use of recycled
materials, deconstruction assemblies, or renewable, locally produced and low energy materials as much
as possible.
INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Indoor environmental quality encompasses indoor air and water quality, aesthetics, ergonomics,
acoustics, lighting, and electromagnetic frequency levels. It is important to value decisions about these
items and engage building occupants in making these decisions, as well as allow for personal control of
these items where practicable.
When planning for new facilities or upgrades, it is important to consider how best to reduce pollutants
inside the facility, ensure healthy air and water quality for occupants, and achieve a productive work
environment.
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY
Operational efficiency will be a direct result of taking all other sustainable building principles into
account for new buildings. A whole building design approach ultimately yields the best returns in
reduced impact to the environment, efficient operation, and effective work environment.
When planning for new facilities or upgrades, it is important to identify operational efficiency targets
and a schedule for assessing those targets, especially for energy and water efficiency; develop an
operations and procedures manual to care for the systems appropriately; and identify personnel to
monitor and maintain the facility.
Facility Upgrades (Optional, or If Applicable for PAC)
A reserve may identify facility upgrades in the plan if planning to seek future NERRS acquisition and
construction (PAC) funding for such projects. However, all reserves should try to evaluate where
sustainability and hazard resilience can be improved for each reserve facility or other important
infrastructure. Where possible, audits to assess water and energy inefficiencies should be performed to
understand usage and options for minimizing usage. This information should directly inform efforts to
address the Reserve System sustainable building principles.
To inform this section, the reserve may wish to consider the following:
• The most significant energy and water sinks at the reserve;
• Actions that can be implemented to reduce energy and water usage, and how much
improvement can be achieved with these upgrades;
• Actions that can be taken to address the other sustainable building principles, including exterior
work associated with landscaping and xeriscaping;
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
•
•
How the reserve will evaluate the efficacy of the improvements over time; and
How the reserve will maintain upgrades and ensure systems and improvements remain efficient.
Exhibits (Optional, or If Applicable for PAC)
A reserve may identify exhibits in the plan if planning to seek future PAC funding for such projects.
Reserve exhibits provide important passive and active learning opportunities for a variety of visitors
about the dynamic processes and benefits of estuaries, as well as the pressures estuaries are under and
what the public can do to protect these resources. Exhibits should be theme based, address reserve
priority issues, and convey the reserve’s key messages. Exhibits should be evaluated periodically to
determine how to incorporate new information and best engage audiences.
This section should include a general description and cost estimate for new exhibits and exhibit
upgrades based on some form of needs assessment. When possible, use sustainable materials and,
where applicable, discuss sustainable building principles.
Additionally, interpretive materials and signage can be found both inside facilities and outside within
demonstration sites, land trails, water trails, amphitheaters, etc. Consider the range of experiences
available to visitors, and provide description of planned outdoor interpretive materials and exhibits.
Cost estimates should be included, and these activities should also be based on projected visitor use
needs and impacts.
Green Infrastructure (Optional)
A reserve may identify green infrastructure in the plan if planning to seek future PAC funding for such
projects. However, all reserves should consider where green infrastructure can be incorporated to
provide critical values and services (e.g., storm water retention, energy dissipation during extreme
storms) that support reserve habitats and infrastructure resilience and sustainability. This information
should directly inform efforts to protect existing reserve infrastructure from climate-influenced impacts.
To inform this section, the reserve may wish to consider the following:
• The types of green infrastructure that could enhance the sustainability and resilience of existing
reserve infrastructure;
• The values or benefits the implementation of targeted green infrastructure elements offers the
reserve;
• How the reserve could use the identified projects as tools to enhance its key programmatic
capabilities; and
• How the reserve will monitor the long-term effectiveness of green infrastructure projects.
References
Dewberry Design Group Incorporated (2004). National Estuarine Research Reserve System Standard
Reserve.
Dewberry Design Group Incorporated (2004). National Estuarine Research Reserve Sustainable Design
Guidelines.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Resource Protection Plan
The resource protection plan is a required element of a management plan per the Federal Code of
Regulations, 15 CFR 921.13. The Reserve System regulations (15 CFR 921.1) specify that
•
•
•
Reserves shall be open to the public to the extent allowed by state and federal law;
Multiple uses are allowed to the degree compatible with reserve purpose and use levels
prescribed in the management plan; and
The management plan shall identify uses requiring a state permit, as well as areas where uses
are encouraged or prohibited.
Protecting the resources of the reserve serves as the foundation for all programmatic efforts and is
central to the success of the reserve. It is important for reserves to protect the ecological unit
representative of key land and waters within each biogeographic region and maintain it in the face of
human and natural stressors that are continually increasing.
This plan should provide a description of the authorities that protect the reserve, allowable and
unallowable uses per those authorities, uses requiring a permit, and surveillance and enforcement
strategies to ensure appropriate use of the reserve.
The target length for this section is five pages. It may include links to other documents, as appropriate.
Contents for this Section
State Management and Statutory Authorities (Required)
The protection of the reserve relies on state management and regulatory authorities. This section
should describe all authorities (federal, state, local, and tribal, if applicable) related to the protection
and use of reserve resources. It should include a complete description of rules and regulations that
govern access and activities on reserve property, and
where possible, identify when these were developed.
Resource Protection Plan
It should also identify key partners in developing and
upholding these authorities.
♦ = optional element
Allowable and Unallowable Uses (Required)
This section should describe all allowable and
unallowable uses within the reserve, based on the
above-mentioned authorities, and where they may or
may not occur respectively. A table that summarizes
these uses and a map showing where uses are located
are encouraged. Please identify which, if any, uses
require a permit and permit requirements. Please also
note how this information is communicated to users
of the reserve. Pre-existing uses that occurred before
designation should be discussed and evaluated if
those uses are still occurring to determine
compatibility with intent of reserve.
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__ Management authorities
__ Allowable and unallowable uses
__ Map of allowable uses
__ Surveillance and enforcement
capacities
__ Resource protection challenges
__ Resource protection objectives
and actions ♦
__ Monitoring and evaluation plan
strategies ♦
Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Reserves may also choose to include an explanation of the rationale for determining which uses are
allowed or not allowed or why there are restrictions in certain areas, and whether there are additional
policies in development that may limit access in certain areas, and if so, when these are likely to be
implemented.
Surveillance and Enforcement Capacities (Required)
This section should describe what agencies are responsible for surveillance and enforcement of rules
regarding use within the reserve boundary and what personnel and strategies will be dedicated to
enforcing the management authorities to ensure appropriate uses of the reserve. The plan should
clearly outline how violations to specific uses will be addressed via the enforcement network with
jurisdiction over these resources. (For example, is there a clear line of communication between
applicable reserve staff and enforcement officials?) Key partnerships and other landowner protection
plans that support the management and protection of the reserve should be described and included
within an appendix if directly protecting reserve lands. In this case, please describe what role these
partners play.
Resource Protection Challenges (Required)
Maintaining adequate control of reserve resources can be challenging for a variety of reasons. This
section should identify activities or uses occurring outside reserve boundaries that impact or may
potentially impact reserve resources. It should describe how existing authorities and processes protect
the reserve and how the reserve interfaces with these uses, e.g., the reserve may be involved in
reviewing permits for certain activities that may impact the reserve.
Objectives and Actions (Optional)
Like the administrative plan, this plan provides a foundational capacity to support the overarching goals
and objectives within the strategic plan and be supported by other program efforts. If applicable, the
reserve can decide to incorporate specific objectives related to resource protection within the strategic
plan, or they can stand alone as foundational to all other elements within the strategic plan.
Monitoring and Evaluation Strategies (Optional)
If included, this section should describe how the reserve plans to monitor whether resources are
adequately protected. Consider addressing the following questions: What resource indicators does the
reserve use to ensure ecosystem health? How will the reserve monitor allowable and unallowable uses
and adjust strategies to ensure protection? What are the frequency, timing, and location of those
monitoring activities? How does the reserve detect change in both resource and social indicators?
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Public Access and Visitor Use Plan
The public access plan is a required element of a management plan per the Federal Code of Regulations
15 CFR 921.13. Public access can be defined as the ability of all members of the community to pass
physically and visually to, from, and along the ocean shore, other waterfronts, and over public lands. The
ability to enjoy the oceans, bays, and rivers is directly related to the ability to reach them. A public
access plan must try to allow for the long-term public use and enjoyment of the water and shoreline
while minimizing damage to the resources. Depending on the geographic proximity and current access
available to visitors, reserves may want to consider topics such as public transit, bike trails, ADA
accessibility for all visitor facilities, and signage to ensure that visitors can locate accessible areas and
follow necessary rules for using resources wisely.
This plan should discuss public uses, opportunities, and challenges within the reserve. Objectives and
actions should support public access and positive visitor experiences while maintaining adequate longterm protection of reserve natural and cultural resources.
Contents for this Section
The following are key elements to be included within this
section of the management plan. Reserves should address
each element below to the best of their ability given the
unique stage and nature of the reserve. The target length for
this section is five pages. It may include links to other
documents, as appropriate.
Current Public Access (Required)
Public Access and Visitor
Use Plan
♦ = optional element
__ Current public access
__ Map of public access points
__ Public access challenges
__ Public access and visitor
experience opportunities
__ Public access objectives and
actions ♦
__ Monitoring and evaluation
strategies ♦
This section should include general information about where
and how visitors, researchers, and other interested parties can
access the reserve. It should include, for example information
about the days and hours of operation; whether, or under
what circumstances, the reserve charges fees; the number and
type of trails or access points; and whether there are any
restrictions or limitations for access (e.g., seasonal, accessible
or not for persons with physical disabilities, etc.). It should also
include a map of trails and water access points and summarize which public uses are permitted on trails
or access points (e.g., whether pets, fishing, boating, swimming, etc. are allowed). If the reserve has
historical or cultural areas of significance, please note whether access is permitted in these areas, or if
there are restrictions that need to be heeded within them.
This section should also describe the rationale for the current public access structure, for example, what
purpose the access points serve and for what target audiences. Where possible, include all relevant
information and data that support acceptable limits for public access or carrying capacity. Carrying
capacity is the type and level of visitor use that can be accommodated while sustaining the desired
resource and visitor experience conditions in the reserve. Visitor experience includes the perceptions,
feelings, and reactions a person has while visiting the reserve. If the reserve has any statistics regarding
current attendance records, visitor use impacts, or results of carrying capacity studies, it can be helpful
to include them, but is not required.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Public Access Challenges (Required)
This section should include an overview of challenges to providing public access and maintaining
adequate control and protection of natural and cultural resources. Studies on carrying capacity and
surveys on visitor use can serve as foundations for future action. Please note whether the reserve is
experiencing challenges in terms of the number of visitors that can be accommodated based on staff
availability, facilities or parking capacity, or ensuring adequate protection of natural resources. If so,
please note what specific impacts the reserve has seen from these challenges (e.g., are there particular
species of concern potentially impacted by large groups visiting the reserve at particular times of the
year, i.e., breeding season, growing season?). Looking to the future, please note if the reserve
anticipates these impacts to be exacerbated, whether by changes in demographics or climate change
impacts that are predicted. Does the reserve expect those changes to impact planning for the future? If
so, please describe how these impacts may potentially change the nature of access in certain areas.
Public Access Opportunities and the Visitor Experience (Required)
While balancing information from current uses and challenges, this section should describe the future
opportunities to increase or decrease access to specific areas of the reserve.
Questions to inform this section include: Who are reserve future target audiences? What has been
learned since the last management plan that provides input for this plan? What specific access policies
will impact education, stewardship, research, and monitoring programs? Is the reserve trying to
increase, reduce, or limit public access and visitor use, and why? What are the primary themes that
communicate the significance of the reserve to visitors? What strategies does the reserve implement to
ensure that those interpretative themes are communicated (e.g., producing materials in other languages
or accessible formats)? How does the reserve connect outdoor visitor use experiences to indoor
exhibits?
Objectives and Actions (Optional)
If applicable, this section should provide an overview of the reserve’s strategic plan objectives and
actions that relate to public access and visitor use. It will be important to consider the role of education,
interpretation, and outreach in managing public access and visitor use.
If applicable, discuss indicators and procedures for monitoring and evaluating these actions to
determine if public access should be altered in the future.
Monitoring and Evaluation Strategies (Optional)
If included, this section should describe how the reserve plans to gauge whether public access is being
adequately addressed. Consider addressing the following questions: How does the reserve determine
whether public access facilities are under- or over-utilized? How do you determine whether public
access is negatively impacting the environment? How do you gauge whether visitors are satisfied with
their experience at the reserve?
Resources
NOAA’s Managing Visitor Use in Coastal and Marine Protected Areas Course – Provides participants with
tools to identify and define unacceptable visitor use impacts to natural resources and visitor
experiences. Participants of this course will be able to understand the human dimensions of coastal and
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
marine management, apply recreation and visitor use management planning frameworks, identify visitor
use issues, including visitor-resource and visitor-visitor impacts, craft a clear problem statement,
develop measurable indicators for monitoring impacts and management and set standards for impact
acceptability, and implement visitor use monitoring methods and management strategies and tactics.
Managing Visitor Impacts in Parks: A Multi-Method Study of the Effectiveness of Alternative
Management Practices – Provides recommendations for outdoor recreation management within
protected areas such as parks.
Monitoring and Management of Recreation in Protected Areas: The Contributions and Limitations of
Science – Provides examples of significant contributions of science to visitor monitoring and
management. It covers the related scientific purposes of explanation, causation, prediction, and
assessment.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Land Acquisition Plan
The land acquisition plan is a required element of a management plan per the Federal Code of
Regulations, 15 CFR 921.13. Estuaries, and their associated habitats, offer numerous and diverse
benefits to society and natural systems. Some of these benefits include storm buffers to protect
property from hurricanes, nurseries for commercially important marine species, and areas to enjoy for
recreation and aesthetics. However, human development has significantly eliminated or degraded the
habitats that provide these values.
To address the conservation of the reserve’s key habitats, the Reserve System regulations require that
the management plan identify ecologically key land and water areas for acquisition, prioritize these
areas according to their relative importance for specific values, and describe strategies for establishing
adequate long-term state control over these areas. In addition, the acquisition plan must identify land
ownership within the reserve boundaries, including publicly owned land, the acquisition methods that
will be used (e.g., fee simple or less-than-fee simple), and estimated cost and timeframe.
Acquisition projects must be listed in this section if the reserve wishes to seek funding support for
them through the NERRS Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction (PAC) program.
The target length for this section is five pages. It may include links to other documents, as appropriate.
Contents for this Section
Acquisition Context and Values (Required)
As context for identifying acquisition priorities for the next five years, this section should summarize
progress toward acquiring previously identified priority areas, particularly for any key land and water
areas of the reserve, including how much has been protected since the last management plan update
and how much remains to be protected. In addition, this section should describe the other ecological,
historical, conservation, cultural, recreational, and other values that are important when considering
future acquisitions. These values should be connected to the reserve’s management plan goals and
objectives. Where feasible, it should consider the impact of climate and non-climate stressors over time
(e.g., the need to plan for wetland migration), using guidance provided in Part 1. This section should also
include a map of the current ownership within the reserve’s boundary.
Priority Acquisition Areas (Required)
The acquisition plan must describe priority areas targeted for potential future acquisitions. Priority
acquisition areas do not need to be at the parcel level, but at a level appropriate for the reserve. There
should be sufficient detail that a PAC merit reviewer could determine whether a proposed acquisition
project addresses a priority area identified in the reserve’s management plan.
Priority acquisition areas should derive from the acquisition values described in the previous section. For
example, they could include areas identified for acquisition at the time of the reserve’s designation that
have not yet been protected, unprotected in-holdings within a reserve, or lands needed to support the
reserve’s research, education, or training programs. They could also derive from the assessment of
climate and non-climate stressors. For example, if the need to plan for wetland migration is driving the
need for additional acquisition, these migration areas could be identified as priorities for acquisition.
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Reserve System Management Plan Guidelines and Resources
Note: Where there is sensitivity to identifying individual parcels, the reserve may choose not to
do so, but rather may group parcels together into tracts or subareas for the purpose of creating
an acquisition strategy.
PRIORITIZATION PROCESS AND CRITERIA
The NERRS regulations (§921.13) state that an acquisition plan should rank the ecologically key land and
water areas according to their relative importance. Ranking priority tracts targeted for acquisition
provides reserves the opportunity to efficiently allocate limited acquisition resources to land or waters
that best support ecological functions or programmatic goals and objectives laid out in the management
plan. The reserve may include a table or list of the ranked areas in the plan or, instead, include a
description of the process and criteria used to prioritize areas, along with any additional factors that
influenced the selection of these areas.
Reserves should include, where feasible, criteria that incorporate climate and non-climate factors into
the prioritization process. These criteria are typically created by the reserve staff with input from
partners and the reserve advisory board and are linked tightly to objectives within the reserve strategic
plan. Benefits of creating criteria include these items:
•
•
•
•
•
Helping reserve managers, staff, and partners visualize conservation priorities;
Providing a strategic approach to conserving ecosystem functions and services;
Improving ecosystem and community resilience to climate and weather impacts;
Leveraging partners in support of reserve priorities; and
Improving the management of investment risks.
DESCRIPTIONS OF PRIORITY ACQUISITION AREAS
The description of each priority area should include key habitats, existing ecological value, and proposed
value to the reserve’s ecological unit or programming. A map should be included of all acquisition areas,
within the context of the reserve boundary, to understand if priorities are adjacent to existing reserve
boundaries (core or buffer) or connected to the reserve via water corridor. Each target acquisition area
description must be sufficient to reference when developing potential land acquisition grant
applications.
In addition to describing the ecological or programmatic value of priority areas, the reserve may also opt
to include information about important non-ecological acquisition values, such as cultural resources,
access pathways, consumptive and non-consumptive recreation uses, historic structures, and so forth.
Priority Areas Acquisition Strategy (Required)
Once priority acquisition areas have been determined, the reserve should consider how it will acquire
lands and waters within a priority acquisition area. A reserve’s acquisition strategy should provide
information about existing state processes the reserve uses to acquire land, how the appropriate level of
protection or control is determined for each area, estimates of fair market value, acquisition timeline (as
feasible), and potential partners and funding sources.
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TRACT ACQUISITION STRATEGY (REQUIRED)
The reserve should briefly describe the strategy or process it uses to acquire lands or protect them over
the long term once the opportunity arises, including, as applicable, any required state level acquisition
strategies. This strategy or process may vary significantly from reserve to reserve depending on the state
or the reserve’s organizational structure. For example, some reserves may rely heavily on existing state
land acquisition programs, such as Florida Forever or Alabama’s Forever Wild, while others may rely
primarily on land trust partners for their acquisition programs. Some reserves may use a combination of
the two.
This section should also discuss coordination with other relevant conservation plans linked to reserve
landowning partners. At the reserve’s option, this section could also describe whether the reserve’s
strategy includes pursuing funding from complementary federal and state acquisition programs for
coastal wetlands, migratory bird or endangered species habitat, or agricultural lands, such as those
described under the “Tools and Resources” section below.
Land acquired with Reserve System acquisition funds must be added to the reserve boundary, whereas
lands acquired with other funding sources do not necessarily need to be added. For this reason, it would
also be helpful to describe how the reserve determines whether newly acquired or protected lands
should be incorporated into the reserve boundary. The reserve should also evaluate the level of capacity
needed to provide ongoing management oversight and stewardship for new lands being considered for
acquisition.
PREFERRED METHODS FOR ESTABLISHING STATE CONTROL (REQUIRED)
According to Reserve System regulations, a reserve must establish adequate state control over new
areas acquired for inclusion into the reserve boundary. Specifically, per 15 CFR 921.13,
In selecting a preferred method(s) for establishing adequate state control over areas within the
proposed boundaries of the reserve, the state shall perform specific steps for each parcel
determined to be part of the key land and water areas (control over which is necessary to
protect the integrity of the reserve for research purposes), and for those parcels required for
research and interpretive support facilities or buffer purposes.
A.
Determine, with appropriate justification, the minimum level of control(s) required [e.g.,
management agreement, regulation, less-than-fee simple property interest (e.g.,
conservation easement), fee simple property acquisition, or a combination of these
approaches]. This does not preclude the future necessity of increasing the level of state
control;
B.
Identify the level of existing state control(s);
C.
Identify the level of additional state control(s), if any, necessary to meet the minimum
requirements identified in paragraph (a)(7)(i)(a) of this section;
D.
Examine all reasonable alternatives for attaining the level of control identified in paragraph
(a)(7)(i)(C) of this section, and perform a cost analysis of each; and,
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E.
Rank, in order of cost, the methods (including acquisition) identified in paragraph (a)(7)(i)(D)
of this section.(ii) an assessment of the relative cost-effectiveness of control alternatives
shall include a reasonable estimate of both short-term costs (e.g., acquisition of property
interests, regulatory program development including associated enforcement costs,
negotiation, adjudication, etc.) and long-term costs (e.g., monitoring, enforcement,
adjudication, management and coordination). In selecting a preferred method(s) for
establishing adequate state control over each parcel examined under the process described
above, the state shall give priority consideration to the least costly method(s) of attaining
the minimum level of long-term control required.
As a result, the reserve will need to identify the methods or mechanisms a state proposes to use to
establish adequate long-term state control over areas targeted for acquisition. These strategies may be
stated generally, as they may be applied to all acquisition areas; however, if knowledge of a particular
strategy is applicable to specific smaller areas or tracts, then that should be identified.
Some of the acquisition mechanisms potentially available to reserves include the following:
•
Fee Simple Acquisition – absolute title to land, free of any conditions, limitations, restrictions,
or other claims against the title, which one can sell or pass to another by will or inheritance. A
fee simple title has a virtually indefinite duration.
•
Conservation Easement – a legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust or
government agency that permanently limits uses of the land in order to protect its conservation
values. It allows landowners to continue to own and use their land, and they can also sell it or
pass it on to heirs. Examples of acquired easement rights include riparian, subsurface mineral,
agricultural, residential development, viewshed, and groundwater.
•
Donation – an outright donation of land to a trust or federal, state, or local governments that
may provide the donor with a charitable income tax deduction and a reduction in the value of
one’s taxable estate.
Mission-Aransas Reserve: Stewardship Considerations at Fennessey Ranch
As part of the designation of the Mission-Aransas Reserve in 2006, a conservation easement was acquired
on a private working ranch that allows multiple uses, including hunting, fishing, nature tours, and cattle
ranching, among others. Supporting these diverse business ventures, the ranch includes diverse habitats
from freshwater wetlands, riparian corridors, and coastal prairie. All these habitats support a wide range of
fauna and flora, including over 400 species of birds.
The conservation easement provides the legal foundation for the collaborative management of the
property between the reserve and the property owners. A joint management plan was developed that
allows for the generation of revenue from compatible uses and ensures that the conservation values of the
ranch will continue to support wildlife, biodiversity, and reserve research and education opportunities well
into the future. For more information: www.missionaransas.org
FAIR MARKET VALUE ESTIMATES (REQUIRED)
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Reserves should look at the fair market value of any property interest within the prioritized acquisition
areas. Ownership and fair market values of tracts can be stated in general terms within the plan. It is
recommended that individual tract ownership not be identified.
ESTIMATED ACQUISITION TIMELINE (REQUIRED)
The plan should include a schedule estimating the time required to complete the process of establishing
adequate state control over parcels within priority acquisition areas.
POTENTIAL ACQUISITION PARTNERS (OPTIONAL)
If feasible, the reserve can identify potential acquisition partners, such as interested land trusts, state
land management agencies, municipalities, local governments, and reserve Friends groups. Examples of
local, regional, or national land trusts that have partnered with reserve acquisitions include the
Conservation Fund, the Nature Conservancy, Weeks Bay Foundation, and Elkhorn Slough Foundation.
Partners can be valuable assets to a reserve by providing real estate expertise, conducting due diligence
such as property surveys and appraisals, contacting willing sellers, offering financial and legal assistance,
and in some cases, buying and holding a property until the state can take title. Acquisition partners may
also continue to play a role in ongoing stewardship of properties or monitoring conservation easements.
Weeks Bay Reserve: Leveraging Partners to Acquire Land
In 2010, a diverse partnership secured the acquisition of 820 contiguous acres of forested
wetland habitats adjacent to the Weeks Bay Reserve. A diverse coalition contributed to the
success of the project, including the Conservation Fund, Weeks Bay Foundation, Baldwin
County Commission, Alabama Forever Wild through the Alabama Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources, and NOAA.
To acquire the property for conservation purposes, the Alabama Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources brought together funding from different sources, including NOAA, Forever
Wild, and the Coastal Impact Assistance Program. Working with the department, the local and
national land trusts became the contracting entity with the willing seller. In that role, they
researched the title and completed an appraisal of the property. Without the contributions of
the various partners, the reserve would have not been able to acquire property. The resulting
federal, state, local, and land trust partnership has made a significant contribution to the
conservation of coastal habitats and contributes to improved public access, water quality, and
opportunities for research and education. These partnerships led to the largest addition to the
reserve since its designation in 1986.
FUNDING SOURCES (OPTIONAL)
If feasible, the reserve can identify potential sources of acquisition funds. These could include potential
sources of matching funds. Funding sources could be federal, state, foundation, or private. Common
examples of funding sources are provided in the “Tools and Resources” section.
Tools and Resources
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NOAA’s Guide for Considering Climate in Coastal Conservation provides a step-by-step approach for
incorporating climate change information into new or existing conservation plans, with a focus on
climate considerations and key resources specifically relevant to coastal areas.
NOAA’s Sea Level Rise Viewer shows how various levels of sea level rise will impact coastal communities.
The tool covers coastal areas of the U.S., including U.S. territories. Visuals and the accompanying data
and information cover sea level rise inundation, uncertainty, flood frequency, marsh impacts, and
socioeconomics.
Funding Opportunities
NOAA’s National Estuarine Research Reserve System PAC (Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction)
– Grants to state host agencies of reserves to support land acquisition for projects identified in approved
reserve management plans.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Legacy Program – Grants available to help landowners, state and
local governments, and private land trusts identify and protect environmentally important forestlands
that are threatened by present and future conversion to non-forest uses. The Forest Legacy Program is
designed to protect both traditional uses of private lands and the public values of America’s forest
resources.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s North American Wetland Conservation Act Program – Grants are
available to fund conservation of wetlands and wetland-dependent fish and wildlife (waterfowl) through
acquisition, restoration, or enhancement. Grants may be provided directly to state, local governments,
and nonprofit organizations. This program strongly prefers to fund diverse conservation partnerships.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Coastal Wetland Conservation Grant Program – Grants are awarded to
Great Lakes and coastal states and trust territories for projects that restore, acquire, manage, or
enhance coastal lands and waters. Projects must provide for the long-term conservation of such lands
and waters and the fish and wildlife dependent on them. The Coastal Grants Program gives priority to
the restoration of barrier islands-associated maritime forest, coastal wetlands ecosystems, endangered
species, and anadromous fish species, and to the building of financial and cooperative, private, and
governmental partnerships.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Endangered Species Recovery Lands Program – Grants are provided to
states and territories for acquisitions of habitat that supports approved recovery plans.
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grant Programs: The Department of Agriculture has a number of costshare and grant programs that involve acquisition of conservation easements, including the
Conservation Reserve Program and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.
The Conservation Reserve Program, within USDA’s Farm Service Agency, provides farmers enrolled
in the program with a yearly rental payment (for 10-15 year contract periods) to remove
environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will re-establish
valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife
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habitat.
The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, within the Department of Agriculture’s Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), provides financial and technical assistance to help
conserve agricultural lands and wetlands and their related benefits through conservation
easements. Under the Wetlands Reserve Easements component, NRCS helps to restore, protect,
and enhance enrolled wetlands. Under the Agricultural Land Easements component, NRCS helps
Indian tribes, state and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations protect working
agricultural lands and limit non-agricultural uses of the land.
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Resource Manipulation Plan
The resource manipulation plan is only required for a
management plan when resource manipulation
activities are occurring within the buffer areas of the
reserve (per the Federal Code of Regulations, 15 CFR
921.13). Resource manipulation can occur only in the
reserve buffer and refers to long-term pre-existing
(before designation) manipulation for reasons not
related to research or restoration. Most often, resource
manipulation is occurring for the benefit of human
communities. Examples of resource manipulation
activities include regulation of water flow, sediment
management, timbering, or aquaculture. These activities
should be reviewed to ensure they are not preventing
the reserve from serving its designated purpose.
Resource Manipulation Plan
(If applicable)
♦ = optional element
__ Current and proposed resource
manipulation activities
__ Map of manipulation activities
__ Permitting/approval requirements
__ Climate and non-climate stressors
__ Current and potential partners
__ Impacts of activities
Monitoring and evaluation strategies ♦ If included, the target length for this section is five pages. It may
include links to other documents, as appropriate. This plan should identify and describe priorities for
resource manipulation, influence of stressors on these activities, requirements for conducting them,
justification for continuing them, and resources and partners devoted to them.
Contents for this Section
Current and Proposed Resource Manipulation
This section should describe the reserve’s current or planned resource manipulation activities, describe
how each activity supports the reserve’s management plan goals and objectives, and justify why the
activities are not detrimental to reserve resources. In addition, expected outcomes of the resource
manipulation activities should be described generally. Outcomes could be ecological, social, or economic
in nature and should not be detrimental to the ecology of the reserve. Given that reserves have limited
resources, the reserve should prioritize what activities they will implement or continue over the fiveyear management planning period.
It will be helpful to reference local, state, or federal priorities or plans that support these activities and
are important to the reserve. A reserve boundary map should be provided that spatially references the
current and planned resource manipulation activities (to depict the scale at which they are occurring)
and key resources or habitats important to these manipulations.
FACTORING NON-CLIMATE AND CLIMATE STRESSORS INTO RESOURCE MANIPULATION PLANNING
The reserve should consider stressors that may impact resource manipulation activities, including
climate considerations that factor into prioritizing these activities. As possible, consider whether these
impacts may be beneficial or harmful to key reserve resources or habitats, and whether resource
manipulation activities will enhance resilience to climate stressors.
When available, incorporate down-scaled climate model information and other climate trend
information to support the prioritization process. Incorporating these considerations into the
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prioritization process will help the reserve create a matrix of place-based climate-related impacts to
reserve resources or habitats associated with resource manipulation activities.
CURRENT AND POTENTIAL PARTNERS
Briefly identify reserve partners that support current or planned resource manipulation activities.
Partners may be key players in achieving successful activity outcomes.
PERMITTING OR APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
The reserve should briefly describe any permits or other regulatory or administrative requirements for
current and proposed resource manipulation activities within reserve boundaries. Permits or regulatory
requirements will vary based on each activity; they may include a mix of state and federal permitting or
regulatory requirements. As an example, a permit could include an incidental take permit or harassment
authorization issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for certain species. If the reserve is
not the primary party responsible for land stewardship or management, those entities should be
included in the development of the proposed activity.
IMPACTS OF RESOURCE MANIPULATION ACTIVITIES
When resources are manipulated by human activity, opportunities exist for unintended ecological
disturbance. The reserve should consider whether manipulation activities have the potential to
negatively impact key land and water areas or habitats, and whether they are occurring in areas
considered for future core area expansion. These activities should be closely monitored for intended and
unintended consequence to ensure that key reserve resources are protected.
Monitoring and Evaluation Strategies (Optional)
If included, this section should describe how the reserve plans to monitor whether the objectives of the
resource manipulation activity are being met and if there are any positive or unforeseen impacts from
the manipulation strategy.
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Restoration Plan
The restoration plan is a required element of the
management plan if the reserve is intending to perform
restoration activities within reserve boundaries, per the
Federal Code of Regulations, 15 CFR 921.13. Most reserves
have habitats that are in less than pristine condition due to
land use or climate-related impacts. Restoration offers the
opportunity for reserves to return habitat to its natural
functioning, and in doing so, inform the practice of
restoration through a hypothesis-driven restoration design.
“Here is the means to end
the great extinction spasm.
The next century will, I
believe, be the era of
restoration in ecology.”
‒ E. O. Wilson
Restoration planning should take advantage of the full suite of reserve programmatic capability to the
extent possible and address climate and anthropogenic stressors in considering the resilience, and
hence prioritization, of restoration activities. Within the Reserve System, reserves span the spectrum of
restoration needs from relatively intact systems with no readily apparent need for restoration, to those
altered where restoration may be the only way to achieve original function. The level of detail and
priorities identified in this plan will depend on where a reserve is along this continuum.
If included, the target length for this section is five pages. It may include links to other documents, as
appropriate. This plan should describe restoration priorities, the process for determining those
priorities, the influence of stressors on the priorities, project details (if available), and a monitoring
strategy. Background on restoration ecology and the Reserve System’s Restoration Science Strategy are
provided as context for the plan contents section.
What Is Restoration Ecology?
Restoration ecology is the scientific study and practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or
destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human intervention and action,
accomplished within a short time frame using targeted actions to achieve relatively self-sustaining
ecological conditions. The Society for Ecological Restoration defines ecological restoration as an
“intentional activity that initiates or accelerates the recovery of an ecosystem with respect to its health,
integrity and sustainability.” (Society for Ecological Restoration, 2004) The practice of ecological
restoration encompasses a wide scope of projects such as restoration of hydrology, shoreline erosion
control, reforestation, local seed sourcing, removal of non-native species, re-vegetation of disturbed
areas, stream bank modifications, reintroduction of native species, and habitat and range improvements
for targeted areas within reserves.
What Is Restoration Science in the Reserve System?
In 2002, a multidisciplinary group of Reserve System staff members and outside restoration experts
developed the Restoration Science Strategy, which takes advantage of the unique capabilities of the
Reserve System. The goal of the strategy is to “provide the scientific bases and technical expertise to
restore, enhance, and maintain estuarine ecosystems by developing and transferring effective
approaches to identify, prioritize, restore, and monitor degraded or lost coastal habitat.”
The strategy identifies a number of overarching restoration-related questions that the Reserve System is
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poised to address through an inquiry-based approach to restoration. Questions posed by the plan
include the following:
•
Once habitats and functions of value in estuaries are degraded, is this reversible and how? Can
these functions be reversed to a pre-existing condition? Are all functions restorable? Or is
“restoring” to a future condition more appropriate?
•
What is the importance of topographical complexity to restoration? What is the relationship
between topographical complexity and biodiversity? What is the relationship between habitat
structure and function?
•
What do you monitor at an individual reserve that would help measure the cumulative benefit
of many restoration projects? How long should projects be monitored to ensure long-term
success? What steps should be involved in restoration projects? What level of effort is
appropriate? What are the trade-offs between tremendous effort up front and small efforts
over a longer period?
Additional considerations include ecosystem services. Considering the value of coastal resources and
potential climate impacts and other stressors’ effects on these values, how can ecosystem services be
maintained or enhanced to increase resilience of habitats and communities? What services are most
beneficial to the reserve and surrounding natural and human communities? How will climate impacts
generally be factored into restoration decisions?
The strategy promotes collaboration among reserves to address many of these questions and, hence,
contribute to scientific literature and policy development. The Reserve System can play a national role
by developing innovative technology and methods of evaluating restoration performance, serving as
local reference sites, translating and transferring restoration information, providing scientific and
technical advice to support policy and regulatory decisions, and building support for regional science
coordination. A reserve’s restoration plan should not only focus on restoring habitat in the reserve, but
explore what roles the reserve’s restoration or other on-site capacity can play in promoting the priorities
of the Reserve System’s Restoration Science Strategy.
Reserves should follow the guiding principles for restoration set forth within the strategy:
• Preservation and conservation of existing habitat must occur along with restoration.
• Reserve participation is voluntary and additional funding is required for implementation.
• Reserves will not support habitat manipulation that causes adverse impacts.
• A partnered approach with science and management organizations or professional.
• Integrated application of research, education, and stewardship capacities.
• Science activities will be subject to a peer-review process.
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Contents for this Section
Priority Restoration Areas
When identifying restoration areas, it will be
important to develop criteria that help the reserve
identify those areas most important to ensuring
the integrity of the reserve’s ecological unit. It will
also be important to consider what condition the
area should be restored to in order for it to be the
most sustainable (e.g., to a pre-existing state or to
a new condition?). Reserves might also consider
what restoration projects could inform broader
stakeholder or partner needs, or what restorationrelated science questions can be informed by an
inquiry approach to restoration projects at the
reserve.
Restoration Plan (If applicable)
♦ = optional element
__ Priority restoration areas
__ Description of restoration areas/habitats
__ Map of restoration areas
__ Climate and non-climate stressors
__ Prioritization process and criteria
__ Priority restoration projects
__ Acres and outcomes
__ Partners
__ Monitoring and evaluation strategies ♦
DESCRIPTION OF RESTORATION AREAS
A description of each priority habitat identified for restoration should be included to indicate why the
restoration is needed to protect and maintain the ecological unit of the reserve. Additionally, the
ultimate ecological condition, or general outcome, of each area should be described. A map should be
included of all areas targeted for restoration. Refer to the Reserve System habitat classification system,
as appropriate, to describe current and project future habitat states.
FACTORING CLIMATE AND NON-CLIMATE STRESSORS INTO RESTORATION PLANNING
As part of the process of prioritizing restoration areas, it will be important to factor in climate and nonclimate stressors to determine timing and challenges for restoration efforts. To do this, consider what
stressors will impact the success and resilience of the reserve habitats identified for restoration. For
example, will these areas be vulnerable to climate impacts such as changes in local water levels,
inundation patterns, temperature changes, soil moisture changes, precipitation patterns, and storm
intensity or pattern?
Reserves’ understanding of anthropogenic drivers on their habitats and ecosystems varies considerably.
In some cases, a reserve may have the ability to control those impacts or stressors. In those instances,
the reserve should incorporate controls in project designs. Some potential non-climate stressors to
consider include land use impacts such as sediment and nutrient loading, as well as physical barriers to
habitat migration such as dams, roads, and levees.
DETERMINING RESTORATION PRIORITIES
Given limited resources, it will be important to determine what criteria and processes are in place to
prioritize restoration activities. It is advised that the plan outline the process the reserve will take to
develop and apply identified criteria for determining restoration priorities. Criteria can be ecological and
logistical in nature.
For example, the reserve may want to consider ecological criteria that address the following questions:
Are there threatened and endangered species that need to be protected? Are there needs to buffer
resources from storm surge? Are there rare fauna or flora communities that need to be protected?
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What areas are important for ensuring habitat resilience in the face of key climate and anthropogenic
stressors? Is there any information lacking that would impede restoration success?
The reserve may also want to factor in logistical criteria that address the following questions: Is there
available funding to conduct the project and ensure maintenance and monitoring? Can permits be
obtained? Are partnerships required to ensure project success? Are those partners committed to the
project? Are volunteers integral to the success of the project?
Priority Restoration Project Planning
Where enough detail is available, it is advised that project-level information be included to leverage
funding opportunities and share ideas with partners. Basic details for each project should include a
description of the project, the intended outcome, the affected acreage, partners involved, and
monitoring strategy, and a site map noting the area to be restored in the context of the reserve
boundary. Additionally, please note how local and regional policy makers, scientists, and restoration
practitioners have been or will be involved in the design or implementation of the project. To the extent
possible, restoration projects should include a restoration science element that links to the Reserve
System’s Restoration Science Plan. A restoration science element may include reference site data and
restoration-specific questions that can be examined within the context of the restoration project.
Please describe how reserve programs and assets will support the project; note how System-Wide
Monitoring Program data will be used, and how Coastal Training Program and education program staff
will be involved in project development, communication of results, and resulting best management
practices.
Reserves may also be engaged in projects by serving as a reference site and not an active area for
restoration. Please note where this is occurring and if restoration practitioners in the area are using
SWMP data.
Elkhorn Slough Reserve: Hester Marsh Tidal Wetland Restoration Project
The Elkhorn Slough Reserve is restoring over 100 acres of salt marsh by adding sediment to a
subsided marsh to make it more sustainable in the face of sea level rise. The reserve’s Tidal
Wetland Program spent much of 2014 planning for the restoration, then began fundraising and
securing permits to move forward with phase 1 of the restoration in 2018 and phase 2 in 2020.
They enlisted help from a group of scientists with expertise in marsh elevation, both locally and
worldwide, to answer critical questions on the marsh elevation, slope and tidal channel
configuration. Reserve staff also propagated thousands of native plants to re-vegetate the
ecotone transition and upland buffer. The planting is using an experimental design to test the
success of various planting configurations.
For more information: elkhornslough.org/tidal-wetland-program/tidal-marsh-restoration-project
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Monitoring and Evaluation Strategies (Optional)
If included, this section should describe how the reserve plans to monitor and evaluate the success of
habitat restoration projects over the long term. The monitoring and evaluation strategy may consider
such questions as these: Has habitat function and structure been established to meet targets? Has
biodiversity been established to meet targets? Were methods used appropriate for meeting targets?
Were new protocols used and, if so, were they effective in meeting targets?
References
Clewell, Andre, John Rieger, and John Munro (2005). Society for Ecological Restoration International:
Guidelines for Developing and Managing Ecological Restoration Projects.
Reserve System Restoration Science Plan and Implementation Strategy (2002). Available via
Reserve System Intranet on the “Restoration” topical page under the “Stewardship” sector (under “Policy
and Planning” tab).
National Marine Fisheries Service (2010). Guidelines for Incorporating Sea Level Rise into Restoration of
Tidal Wetlands in the Northeast. Available via Reserve System Intranet on the “Restoration” topical page
under the “Stewardship” sector (under “Policy and Planning” tab).
Tools and Resources
Planning for Sea Level Rise in the Northeast: Considerations for the Implementation of Tidal Wetland
Habitat Restoration Projects Workshop Report (2011). NOAA’s Restoration Center, Northeast Region.
Society for Ecological Restoration Reports and Publications (website):
https://www.ser.org/page/SERDocuments
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Appendices for the Management Plan
The following outlines mandatory and program-specific appendices to include in the management plan.
The reserve may also include additional appendices at its discretion, including any required by the state
lead agency.
Mandatory Appendices:
The reserve must include the following as appendices in the management plan:
• Memorandum of understanding between state host agency and NOAA (template available)
• Other memoranda of understanding between land managers within the reserve (include all)
• Federal consistency determination (provided by NOAA)
• Public involvement and comments (template available)
Program-specific Appendices:
• List of Education Advisory Committee members, roles, and responsibilities
• Complete list of coastal training partners (optional)
• List of Coastal Training Advisory Committee members, roles, and responsibilities
• Landowner protection plans, if any, that support management and protection of the reserve
Optional Appendices:
The reserve may, but is not required to, include the following as appendices to the management
plan:
• Facilities operations and maintenance manual
• Long-term facility plan
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Appendices
Please see the “Management Plan” section of the NERRS Intranet (under “Policy and Planning” tab)
to access the latest version of the following resources. In some cases, a direct web link is provided.
Templates:
1. Memorandum of understanding template
2. Notice of availability of opportunity for public comment template
3. Response to public comments template
Resources for Assessing and Planning for Environmental Change:
• Conducting National Estuarine Reserve Vulnerability Assessment
• Climate Sensitivity of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (2013)
• Planning for Sustainable Facilities
• Summary of Climate Change Phenomena with Observed and Projected Changes (2013)
• Summary of Observed and Projected Regional Climate-Related Changes (2013)
• State Climate Summaries (2017) (available at: statesummaries.ncics.org)
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| File Type | application/pdf |
| File Title | Reserve Management Plan Guidelines and Resources |
| Subject | Reserve Management Plan Guidelines and Resources, February 2020 |
| Author | NOAA Office for Coastal Management;Erica Seiden |
| File Modified | 2020-07-17 |
| File Created | 2020-07-16 |