The purpose of this project has been to develop and implement a systematic framework for
prioritizing investment in restoration activities among watersheds on Prince of Wales Island. For
the purposes of this report, restoration is defined as the process of reestablishing a self-sustaining
habitat that in time can come to closely resemble a natural condition in terms of structure and
function (Turner and Streever 2002). The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) methodology involved
development of a consensus approach to priority setting, inclusion of the best available science
and previous efforts, and a transparent decision framework that can be used across a mix of land
ownerships. While this framework is designed specifically for Prince of Wales Island, it can be
generalized to evaluate priorities throughout Southeast Alaska.
