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A Decision Framework to Protect Coral Reefs in Guánica
Bay, Puerto RicoWilliam S. Fisher
John Carriger and Patricia Bradley
U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development Ecosystems Services Research Program, Coral Reef Project
EMECS9 Aug 2011
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Sediment and nutrient from Guánica Bay
watershed impacts the vitality of coastal
coral reefs
Loss of reefs translates into lost ecosystem
services such as fishing, tourism &
recreation, and shoreline protection
Puerto Rico
Guánica Bay
Reef
Lajas Valley
Sediment originates from agricultural and
municipal development along the
mountain ridge and Lajas Valley
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Different watersheds linked to Guánica Bay
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Status of Decision Framework
2008 Watershed Management Plan (Center for Watershed Protection and NOAA Coral Reef Program)
2010 Decision workshop (Caribbean Coral Reef Institute and EPA)
Today Framing the Decision Landscape
Ultimately Revised Watershed Management Plan
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Objectives of the Guánica Bay WMP
1. Develop a management strategy for improving and protecting the Guánica Bay watershed from nonpoint sources of pollution and from effects of land use changes stemming from residential, commercial and agricultural uses
2. Pilot a watershed management planning approach that might be appropriate for other Puerto Rico watersheds
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Maximize ecological integrity
Coral reefs
Rainwater collection
Dredge reservoirsReservoir releases
Pet waste cleanupWetland treatment of sewage effluent
HydroseedingCover CropsShade-grown coffee
Reduce biological stressors in water
Reduce physical/chemical stressors in water
Lagoon restoration
Riparian plantingsRemove relic irrigation structures
Guanica Bay Watershed Management Plan
Management Actions ObjectiveRationale
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Decision Workshop
• Presentation overviews on
– Status of coral reefs in Puerto Rico
– Proposed actions of the WMP
– Agricultural incentive plans
• Review and discussion of the proposed actions
• Introduced ‘ecosystem services’ and DPSIR
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Tourism & RecreationFishing
Natural
ProductsShoreline Protection
Ecosystem
Integrity
Ecosystem ServicesBenefits of Natural Systems
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Maximize ecological integrity
Coral reefs
Rainwater collection
Dredge reservoirsReservoir releases
Pet waste cleanupWetland treatment of sewage effluent
HydroseedingCover CropsShade-grown coffee
Reduce biological stressors in water
Reduce physical/chemical stressors in water
Lagoon restoration
Riparian plantingsRemove relic irrigation structures
Guanica Bay Watershed Management Plan
Management Actions ObjectiveRationale
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Tourism economy
Benefits
Fishing economy
Shoreline protection
Human health
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DPSIR Framework
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DPSIR Framework
Fosters a ‘systems’ approach
Provides a tool to organize and catalog information
Identifies information and issues important to stakeholders
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Pro
po
se
d A
gricu
ltu
re A
ctio
ns
To P
rote
ct C
ora
l R
eefs
Proposed actions
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Inte
grity
of Te
rre
str
ial H
ab
ita
ts
(in
ferr
ed
ob
jective
)
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Ma
xim
ize
Pro
pe
rty v
alu
es
(in
ferr
ed
ob
jective
)
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Op
tim
ize
Fre
sh
wa
ter
De
live
ry
(in
ferr
ed
obje
ctive
)
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Ad
ditio
nal in
ferr
ed
obje
ctives
Agriculture
Aesthetics
Connectivity
Cultural benefits
Tourism
FisheriesProject costs
Agriculture
Agriculture
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Expanding the objectives
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Maximize ecological integrity
Coral reefs
Rainwater collection
Dredge reservoirsReservoir releases
Pet waste cleanupWetland treatment of sewage effluent
HydroseedingCover CropsShade-grown coffee
Reduce biological stressors in water
Reduce physical/chemical stressorsin water
Lagoon restoration
Riparian plantingsRemove relic irrigation structures
Streams & rivers
Estuaries
Reservoirs
Agriculture economy
Fishing economy
Tourism economy
Shoreline protection
Drinking water supply
(-)
Management Actions ObjectiveRationale
Guanica Bay Watershed Management Plan
Benefits
Wetlands
Human health
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Objectives and Decision Options
Since the workshop we have attempted to….
1) Characterize the multiple objectives served in the plan and introduced at the workshop
2) Identify additional opportunities—decision options—to achieve the objectives
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GBW ObjectivesOverall Objective: Improve the quality of life in the Guánica Bay
Watershed
Fundamental Objectives• Maximize ecological integrity • Maximize economic benefits• Enhance social well-being• Minimize threats to human health• Meet legislative and political requirements• Maximize learning opportunities
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Maximize ecological integrity
Ecosystem connectivity and linkages
Terrestrial habitats Freshwater aquatic habitats
Estuarine aquatic habitats
Saltwater/marine habitats
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Maximize ecological integrity
Ecosystem connectivity and linkages
Terrestrial habitats Freshwater aquatic habitats
Estuarine aquatic habitats
Saltwater/marine habitats
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Maximize ecological integrity
Maximize the ecological integrity of saltwater/marine habitats
Maximize the integrity of open ocean habitats Maximize the integrity of coral reefs
For coral species•% hard coral cover,•Coral diversity•Living coral area
For reef-associated organisms•Species diversity•Abundance of rare species•Trophic function
Benthic habitat•Species diversity•Abundance of rare species•Trophic function
Surface water habitat•Species diversity•Abundance of rare species•Trophic function
Specifying the objectives
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Maximize ecological integrity
Ecosystem connectivity and linkages
Terrestrial habitats Freshwater aquatic habitats
Coastal aquatic habitats
Saltwater/marine habitats
Migratory bird species habitat•Bird species diversity per land use area•Rare bird species abundance (e.g., Puerto Rican nightjar)
Terrestrial native species habitat•Animal species diversity per land use area•Abundance of rare species
•Diversity & abundance of diadromous fishes•Adjacency of coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds
Riverine habitats•Species diversity•Abundance of rare species •Trophic function
Wetland habitats•Waterfowl & wading bird abundance•Fish & arthropod abundance•Abundance of rare species (e.g., crested toad)•Trophic function
Reservoir habitats•Species diversity•Abundance of rare species •Trophic function
Mangrove habitats•Canopy height •Basal area •Stem density •Sessile community diversity & abundance
Seagrass habitats•Seagrass area•Depth•Density•Residency index
Lagoon habitats•Fish & shellfish diversity•Abundance of rare species
Open ocean habitats•Species diversity•Abundance of rare species •Trophic function
For coral species•% hard coral cover•Coral diversity•Living coral area
For reef-associated organisms•Species diversity•Abundance of rare species•Trophic function
MEASURES24
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Maximize economic benefits
For managersFor industries For residents
Tourism Fisheries Agriculture
VisitationVisitor expenditures ($)
# of single day trips/yr
# of multiple day trips/yr
Project costs ($) Grants ($)
Catch (kg) Value ($) Discount Market benefits
Net value ($) % Difference
Volume
Yields (kg) % Difference
Property values ($) Grants/ investments ($)
Grants/ investments ($)
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Means-Ends Networks
Means objectives are important only for their influence on achievement of the fundamental objectives
Fundamental objectives describe the consequences that stakeholders care about
A means-ends network
• clearly links existing options (means) back to
the fundamental objectives (ends)
• illustrates trade-offs among decision options
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GB WMP
Maximize economic benefits
Enhance social well-being
Minimize threats to human health
Maximize ecological integrity
Enhance riparian planting/ cover crops
Remove relic irrigation structures
Treat sewage effluent
Encourage hydroseeding
Maximize planting of cleared home sites & dirt roadways
Create incentives for shade grown coffee
Dredge reservoirs/ sustain releases
Minimize pet waste
Treat stormwater outflows
Enforce sediment erosion regulations
Reduce physical/chemical/ bacterial stressorsfrom municipal loadings
Restore lagoon marshes
Reduce physical/chemical stressorsfrom agricultural loadings
Fundamental objectives WMP means objectives
Meet political and legislative requirements
Establish rainwater collection systems
Conserve freshwater supplies
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Why is this important?
How do I achieve that?
GB WMP
Maximize economic benefits
Enhance social well-being
Minimize threats to human health
Maximize ecological integrity
Enhance riparian planting/ cover crops
Remove relic irrigation structures
Treat sewage effluent
Encourage hydroseeding
Maximize planting of cleared home sites & dirt roadways
Create incentives for shade grown coffee
Dredge reservoirs/ sustain releases
Minimize pet waste
Treat stormwater outflows
Enforce sediment erosion regulations
Reduce physical/chemical/ bacterial stressorsfrom municipal loadings
Restore lagoon marshes
Reduce physical/chemical stressorsfrom agricultural loadings
Fundamental objectives WMP means objectives
Meet political and legislative requirements
Establish rainwater collection systems
Conserve freshwater supplies
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Why bother?
Advancing the Guanica Bay objectives allows us to better:
• engage stakeholder ideas and issues
• explain what is valued
• develop new options to meet objectives
• make meaningful trade-offs
• gauge performance
• produce an understandable rationale for recommendations
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Future Directions
• Create a concise set of management options
• Refine the measures for GB objectives
• Evaluate inferred means and fundamental objectives with stakeholders & experts
• Construct additional objectives for decisions at the scale of individual projects
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