The purposes of the project are to: 1) hydrologically reconnect a diked wetland to Lake Erie to restore coastal wetland function and native species habitats; 2) implement a short- and long-term monitoring program to characterize response of biotic and abiotic ecosystem elements, especially those relating to Beneficial Use Impairments (e.g., phosphorus retention) after restoration actions, and 3) communicate project results to researchers, managers, policy makers, and the general public to ensure that outcomes of the project can: a) guide future management and restoration efforts in western Lake Erie and throughout the Great Lakes basin; b) contribute to landscape-level efforts to improve ecosystem resiliency to stressors, and c) support implementation of sustainable and adaptive management strategies.
