Projects

What does it mean to restore a wetland?

Projects are the lifeblood of our partnership and involve the protection, restoration and/or enhancement of wetlands. While the word restore implies bringing something back to an original state, this is not always possible with wetlands or habitats. When it comes to our work, a restoration project may involve the removal of invasive species or a deteriorating wharf, the planting of native seeds or installing natural infrastructures, breaking a levee or placing sediment, or at a minimum, acquiring or protecting land to let nature “do its thing.” Our projects range in size from the smallest of creek projects to the largest tidal wetland restoration effort on the West Coast of North America– the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. There are many different phases and components in project development and our vast partnership covers them all!  From land acquisition to project design, management, construction and ongoing stewardship and maintenance.  In addition to these more “hands-on” jobs, some of our partners supply the funding for projects, while others are out in the field teaching children about them or conducting needed monitoring and other science. Still others are steeped in the permitting and regulatory processes involved in moving projects along.
While SFBJV staff are not out in the field often, or managing a project from start to finish, we support partner project implementation in a variety of ways.
  • management of a project tracking database that gives a comprehensive view of all the wetland restoration projects going on throughout the nine Bay Area counties, generates accomplishment reports and active project maps;
  • assistance with various elements of project implementation from our design review program, to project “adoption” to administering a limited amount of SFBJV small grants;
  • Featuring partner accomplishments in our newsletter, on our website and in other social media.
Tubbs Island wetland conservation
Tubbs Island wetland restoration

Project Tracking and the EcoAtlas

Project Tracker is a data entry tool for uploading and editing information on wetland restoration, and habitat conservation projects throughout California. Once projects are approved for public display by regional managers, they can be viewed and downloaded along with other projects and data layers on EcoAtlas.

The system enables us to generate acreage and funding summaries to help the partnership track and report on progress toward our regional goals.  It’s ultimate value is realized through ongoing user input from project managers and others who are doing the work to restore habitats around the Bay and beyond.   Is this you?

The system provides the following benefits:

  • Detailed information about habitat projects including funding and acreage information;
  • Information that can assist with project planning;
  • A forum for networking and information sharing;
  • GIS functions that give users the ability to view surrounding land uses, features, and projects, perform various queries, map and measure project sites, download data, and generate .jpg maps;
  • Interactive, detailed maps of aquatic resources extent.

For more information contact Jemma Williams – .

» Project Tracker

Active Projects Map

We provide periodic summaries of all our active and/or completed projects to illustrate the breadth and depth of our work. Current maps are posted here when they are available.

 Project Adoption

Our Conservation Committee reviews and recommends habitat conservation projects for adoption to our Management Board. JV project adoption provides many benefits, including improved project design, enhanced competitiveness for funding, and increased project visibility.  To be adopted by the SFBJV, projects must meet a set of varying criteria based on the project type.  These criteria help us prioritize projects and serve as a guideline to help project proposals demonstrate how a project meets our goals and the needs of target species.

  • Adoption criteria for tidal and other wetland projects can be found HERE;
  • Criteria for the adoption and support of stock pond habitat protection, restoration and enhancement to benefit wildlife is located HERE; and
  • The adoption and support of subtidal habitat protection, restoration and enhancement criteria is HERE.

The San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority gives priority to projects that are consistent with our Implementation Strategy.  People applying for a Measure AA Grant must demonstrate their project is on our list or has consulted with the SFBJV Coordinator prior to applying.

Sears Point Wetland Restoration Project on San Pablo Bay

SFBJV Project Support

The SFBJV has limited funding for projects or programs that help to implement our goals or support our annual operational plan. Although there is not a specific maximum or minimum amount, applicants should consider submitting for $5,000 or less.

Criteria include:  

  • Projects that have regional significance. Locally-focused projects will have region-wide implications.
  • If the purpose is public outreach, the project or program will reach a wide audience.
  • Any habitat projects seeking support will have been previously adopted by the SFBJV.
  • Funds will help save or rescue a project or enable a new phase to be completed.
  • The proposed project or program has strong partnership support.
  • The applicant is a member of the management board or active with one of the SFBJV working committees.
  • The funding might leverage larger amounts.
  • The SFBJV will consider support for program operations, although it will not do so on an ongoing basis.

Design Review

Sometimes project managers and their consultants need a little bit of help along the way!  We offer free,  technical review by regional experts during the concept development, design and/or management stages of a project.

The main goal of the Design Review Program is to improve the outcome of projects around the Bay by providing design recommendations that will result in well-functioning projects both technically and biologically and contribute to the SFBJV habitat goals.