Our replenishment methodology has set a new paradigm for restoration along high energy shorelines; however, one well intentioned restoration progam has revealed mishappened implementations that result from an absence in understanding the foundation principles. In order to help avoid future misinterpretation of the methodology we are featuring some of the problematic sites that stem from this program. Our intention is to assist in understanding the limits and boundaries for successful employment. We recommend that all site plans favor the median practices rather than the extreme. Modifing or exceeding the parameters defined in our methodology, without reasonable justification and convention in planting practices, will jepordize plant survival and overall success of any restoration project. We further recommend that a track record of succesful planting be achieved through strict adherence to our planting guidlines prior to modification of the planting variables.

It should be stressed that the two mangroves species, Rhizophora mangle and Avicenna germinanis, native to Florida are intertidal plants and NOT submerged aquatic vegetation. The methodology presented is optimized for Rhizophora mangle and planting must be done in accordance with what is commonly known about mangrove communities and consistent with good judgement and common sense. Particular attention should be given to the elevations specified in the planting methodology.

The adjacent photographs demonstrate the results of distorting guidelines regarding encasement length, seedling and encasement elevations. As is evident, the encasements have been set below the littoral zone, that is, beyond the mean-lower-low-water line and seedlings have been oriented to extend above the protective encasement. Subsequently the plants are subjected to inordinate and unnecessary impact of floating debris and sea grasses. Additionally, the extreme encasement and seedling elevations place the plant into an environment that is neither natural nor favorable to its long-term development and survival. This type of adverse exposure can easily be ameliorated through compliance with the specifications for planting elevation and encasement length.

The following photos document correspondingly extreme planting practices where nursery raised mangroves were transfered to this restoration site. By placing these seedlings at such an extreme elevation, the implementor ignored what is already known about plant communities. Common knowledge of mangrove habitat tells us these plantings will simply dehydrate and die.

Here the encasements are located within the littoral zone; however, the seedling elevation exceeds one meter along the zero contour NGVD. Orienting the plants at this elevation resulted in excessive dehydration. Note the yellow color of the leaves and brown spots revealing plant stress. A visit one week after this photo found most of the plants had lost all leaves and prognosis is loss of all 400 mangroves at this site. Additionally, the encasements were driven to a depth of only 6 inches (15 cm), disregarding the guidelines for appropriate encasement depth. Inadequate depth resulted in 20% of encasements falling over within the first few weeks after planting.

Each of the specifications that we define for successful employment has empirical justification. The adjacent photograph shows the results of ignoring our recommendation for cutting the PVC at a 45-degree angle. The implementor for this program reasoned that a greater angle would make it easier to drive the encasement into the sediment; however, as is evident, exceeding our recommendation has compromised the structural integrity of the pipe. The result is a tip that deflects and bows under stress making it more difficult to drive. We have observed sites where this high angle tip was employed and many of the tips shattered making it very difficult to achieve adequate encasement depth. When the encasements were re-cut at a 45-degree angle they were easily driven to the appropriate depth.

Our recommendation to this program has been to bring all their sites into compliance with the methodology and planting guidelines established for successful employment. We hope that by providing information on this problematic program others that are considering our restoration methodology can benefit from these misconceived implementations.