Table 1.
Factors that enable successful ecological river restoration programs.
| Enablers | Description |
|---|---|
| Strong mandate | This may be either political or public. Must serve a purpose or defined ecological and social need, that fits within a management and policy framework |
| Political context | Requires high priority (national, state, or regional) policy drivers and responsibility at that policy level. |
| Governance and funding | A program that has a mandate needs dedicated program funding, coordination, and the associated governance structure to support it. This is particularly important for programs that by their nature may require a long-term commitment. |
| Clear ecological objectives | “SMART” (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timed) ecological objectives are required [406]. Programs need appropriately scaled ecological objectives designed to deliver management outcomes that are relevant to the environment, policy, and investment. Consider interim measures of success where rehabilitation may take a long time (decades) to be realized. |
| Fit for purpose | The program must be tied to the ecological objectives and resource management framework. What will be realistically achieved within what timeframe? |
| Trust and communication | Build trust and good communication among stakeholders. This is important to provide the social license to manage adaptively (because the program may evolve over time) and to build knowledge pathways. |
| Social license | A program that has public support will be easier to enable. Enlist social science expertise. |
| Ecological knowledge | Success will depend on a good foundation of ecological knowledge. Partner with those having ecological knowledge e.g., industry, universities, and research organizations. |
| Technical knowledge | Use current and relevant methods based on scientific evidence to increase the likelihood of successful ecological outcomes. |
| Measures of success | An associated ecological assessment program that is linked to the objectives and appropriate ecological timeframes to assess the effectiveness of the rehabilitation efforts. Need to identify the key biological indicators for ecological assessment and rehabilitation. |