Making multiple benefits real: Opportunities and barriers to increasing the pace and scale of riparian restoration in California

Riparian restoration projects are thought to have multiple benefits for Californians, such as improving water quality, providing habitat for fish and wildlife, sequestering carbon, and providing recreational opportunities. But what is the evidence for these and other benefits, and what is their value? Could additional information about these benefits improve access to funding and help increase the pace and scale of riparian restoration?

In this workshop, we will briefly introduce the concept of multiple benefits, the evidence for multiple benefits of riparian restoration, and a specific example from the Cosumnes River Preserve. We will then host a conversation with representatives from organizations and agencies that fund and implement riparian restoration projects, discussing opportunities and barriers to using the multiple benefits concept, and generating ideas to help increase the pace and scale of riparian restoration in California.