Doing adaptive management: Science-driven restoration of a Lake Tahoe species with metapopulation dynamics

Tahoe Yellow Cress (Rorippa subumbellata, or TYC), a plant endemic to shorelines of Lake Tahoe, has been a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act since 1999. In 2001 a Conservation Strategy (CS) was developed to direct restoration and management and to prevent federal listing. Implementation  is by a multi-agency/private stakeholders Adaptive Management Working Group, a Technical Advisory Group, and a Committee of Agency Executives. The CS used 20+ years of monitoring data to develop an understanding of the metapopulation characteristics of TYC, rank sites for conservation and restoration, and to suggest concrete actions that ensure persistence despite fluctuations in lake level and recreational impacts.  The CS also outlined an adaptive management process designed to integrate new information immediately into management direction. A “key management question” (KMQ) framework was developed to guide research and fill gaps in our understanding of TYC restoration. Each KMQ has both scientific and management implications leading to the development of specific hypotheses that have now been tested experimentally. The resulting research program has addressed applied problems faced by land managers, agency regulators, and restoration biologists. Our framework has harnessed the power of a scientific approach while keeping the emphasis on generating information for decision-making in adaptive management. We will present the structure of this successful program, along with select data from experimental reintroductions of TYC conducted during 2003-2006 to illustrate how KMQs  keep science focused on solving management issues.